Origin's Eve
by Hypes
Summary: [ch13!] Before Everything, the world was not the one we know. However, Filgaia is still dying, and a Council of Seven is needed to save her. Yet playing God never ends well...R
1. Eins

The sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the great hall of the capital building's halls. The polished marble floor produced quite the distinguished click clack for blackened shoes to make as they trotted across the floor. The wide windows let the sun stream through, lighting the hall for an old, portly gentleman in a brown overcoat and slacks, with a small derby and mustache to go with it. Berlitz walked through the hall, smiling, as he held several papers under his arm.

"You wished to see me, Professor?" A somewhat larger man, dressed in the same style (except black) but lacking much hair asked Berlitz as he walked up to him.

"Ah, Dr. Duran Feld. Just the man I was hoping to see." Berlitz smiled. "You'll never guess what the senate approved."

Duran ran a hand through his scruffy white hair and rolled his eyes in thought. "A larger budget for our research and development programs?"

Berlitz shook his head. "Better. The Filgaian senate wishes to create a new Council of Seven."

"Oh really." Duran looked puzzled. "To further advance the Yggdrassil project, one would suppose."

"Exactly my dear Doctor. I have been placed in charge of the entire operation, the thirty fourth summoning of the seven department heads." Berlitz reached under his arm and pulled out a piece of paper with many signatures upon it.

Duran reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses to which read. "Well what do you know. Do you have anyone in mind, Professor?"

Berlitz chuckled. "I have been out of the actual scientific forum for quite some time now, Duran. My field has been generally archeology and politics, but I have one man in mind."

"And who would that man be?" Duran placed his glasses back into his breast pocket.

"You my good boy! See here." Berlitz once again pulled a paper from under his arm, showcasing it to Duran.

Too excited to even think about glasses, Duran squinted as he placed the paper in his own hands. "In this year of eighteen hundred and sixty, we the Filgaian senate and house of representatives, representing the seven provinces and four territories of the Union of the Federal Republic of Filgaia, do ordain that the creation of the thirty fourth council of seven be commenced at once, in order to protect and serve the general welfare of our nation and territories…"

"Read a little further down the paper." Berlitz smiled.

Doing as told, Duran skipped through the legal work until he found his name. "Under the supervision of Professor Berlitz Lee, Dr. Duran Feld shall be the head of office and master chairmen of the afore mentioned council, from whence he shall summon his fellow council members, with approval of Professor Lee and ultimately, the Filgaian Legislature and Executive branches."

"Surprised?" Berlitz asked.

"Indeed." Duran replied. "Indeed I am sir. I am most grateful that you endowed this position upon me, Berlitz, but what made you choose me?"

"I couldn't think of anyone better suited for the job. Your work in the hydraulics and advanced machinery fields have left me with no other choice." Berlitz responded. "But who will you choose? You need six more department heads, who will all manage a staff of their own. Yggdrassil is a combination of several fields of science, so you must choose carefully."

"Of course sir." Duran bowed in appreciation.

Berlitz patted Duran on the back. "There is much work to be done. I trust you'll start right away."

** *

**_Origins Eve_**

_-Wild ARMs Advance the 3rd-_

_By Hypes_

**_Six years before the End, Eighteen years before the Ark Scepter…_**

**1860**. The stork's calls could easily be heard in the dimming of the night. Several nights had passed since Duran had met with Berlitz, and they had met several times between then and now. Meetings talking of budget, space, transportation, management, things of that nature. But Duran found himself here, of all places, in the remote town of Boot Hill. The night was coming on, as it took the better part of the day to reach this town by train from the capitol city of Jolly Roger. The moon was just slipping into the sky. Duran stepped off the train station and into Boot Hill. His first choice was here, an old time friend and master of the craft of stenography.

"Dr. Feld!" A young masculine voice shouted.

The older doctor looked about before finding the owner of the voice. It was a middle aged man, dressed in rawhide leather with a large broad hat upon his head.

"Werner Maxwell." Duran smiled. He quickly walked over as several luggage men took his cargo into the train station to be picked up. "I see you received my letter."

"Indeed I have, Doctor." Werner smiled. "I'm quite impressed."

"You ought to be my boy. You were my first choice, right from the start." Duran grinned, patting Werner on the back.

"Would it offend you that I ask that we take care of this matter at my house, rather then at this train station?"

"No, of course not! It would please me so."

"Good. You can meet my wonderful wife."

** *

Boot Hill was not a very large town, to say the least. It was more of a quiet village set out in the grassy plains of the southern peninsula, far far away from any of the hubbub of busy city life and the necessities of culture and civilization. There was a saloon, a general store, a debate hall, a town hall, a public forum, and other such basic governmental institutions. As it was after dark, the village's outdoor population shrank to that of several feral cats and a patrolman escorting a drunkard back to his humble abode. Duran witnessed this from the seat of the carriage that he and Mr. Maxwell were riding in, down the unpaved street up a hill towards Maxwell's estate. Smoke rose gently from the chimney stacks, indicating a fire's presence. A nice, warm fire. That would be nice after a long days ride in the train. It wasn't long before the carriage stopped and the carriage driver leaped off, patting the nuzzles of his two chestnut colored horses and receiving a generous payment (with a bit of a tip) from Werner as the two gentlemen stepped out. Duran had grabbed his cases and walked behind Werner as they strolled up the walkway to a large, yellow tinted building. Several small fields of wheat were around it, and thus Duran concluded that the chief income for the Maxwell family was that of wheat, but he had already known that, for he and Werner had been friends for a rather long while.

The door opened as Werner let himself in, allowing Duran to walk through behind him. Duran set his cases on the wooden floor and looked about the voyeur. It was as magnificent as the outside heralded it to be. It was a simple vestibule, complete with a wooden floor, walls hung with simple photographs (of Werner and his family) and a gas lamp that hung from the ceiling. A rather expensive looking bench made the scene complete as it sat under a large photograph of Werner's presumed parents, the holders of the Maxwell fortune. Duran smiled. Such modesty compared to the lavish estate he had in Jolly Roger.

"Say Werner, do you not have servants?" Duran asked as he gazed across the opening room.

"What do you mean, Duran?" Werner asked as he set his rawhide leather coat on a hat rack.

"You need not take any offense Werner." Duran laughed. "I respect a man who's worked hard for his gains."

Werner chuckled. "Oh, I'm not so rugged as you'd think Duran. Ekatrina and I have a few servants, but they're more of maids. They don't live on the estate or anything."

"Do you maintain a workforce for your fields out there?" Duran turned to face the bench. Werner nodded in approval, and Duran sat himself down.

"Allow me to take your coat, Dr." Werner reached for the black tailcoat Duran handed. "The fields belong to my brother, Tesla. In my father's time, we had slaves working the fields, but now Tesla hires the Baskar to do it."

"Cheap labor huh?" Duran smiled. "Well, one does what one does. Before the Slayheim revolution, every man had a slave or two I'd imagine." Duran reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his glasses, whence he placed upon the bridge of his nose. "Now, should we conduct business?"

"Hahahaha!" Werner gave a hearty laugh. His brown eyes reflected the gas lights charm, mirroring his own. "Not in here, good Doctor! This is the vestibule! Such things should occur in my office."

Blushing from his embarrassment, Duran placed his spectacles back and rubbed his small white beard, standing up. "Well, I didn't want to say anything about your house if you didn't have an office."

"Werner, is that you?" Came a lovely, feminine voice. In through the door on the opposite side of the voyeur came in a fair young lady with long, silky blonde hair and bright green eyes. Her skin was a bit darker then Maxwell's, indicating a life time outdoors, and her gown humble and simple.

Duran coughed as Werner smiled. "Ah, Ekatrina. This is my good associate, Dr. Duran Feld."

Ekatrina extended her hand out to Duran's, who took a firm grip on hers and gave a confident shake. "The pleasure is all mine."

"Welcome to our home, Dr. Would you like some tea?" Ekatrina asked, being a polite hostess.

"Thank you my dear lady, with a bit of lemon if you have any." Duran replied.

Ekatrina smiled to Werner and exited the vestibule. Werner looked to Duran and raised his eyebrows. "So, what do you think?"

"Good Abram in Paradise man!" Duran laughed. "I didn't think such goddesses dwelled in the wilderness!"

"And you wondered why I would never move my lab into Jolly Roger…" Werner chuckled. "Now, I'll escort you to my office."

** *

The office was a small room, made of wood as the rest of the house was. Werner's oak desk sat in the middle, atop a dark burgundy carpet. Several book cases lined the office, and the desk was cluttered with papers, different magnifying glasses, and a microscope. Two gas lamps on the wall burned brightly, allowing the two entering men visibility. Werner sat himself behind his desk as Duran took the seat before it.

"Pardon the mess, I've just been doing a bit more work and lost track of time." Werner apologized.

"Oh no need to apologize. I know how offices work." Duran sighed. "Have you a light?" Duran requested as he took a cherry wood pipe from his vest.

Werner turned a valve upon the wall beside him and a fireplace came to life. Duran leaned close to the fire, letting his pipe grow warm enough so that the tobacco and cherry started to ember, allowing his senses the pleasure of a fine smoke.

"Would you like anything else, Duran?" Werner asked, making a joke.

"I am quite content, Mr. Maxwell. Say, before we start business, I've often wondered… why have you never acquired a doctorate?"

Werner leaned back in his chair, placing a hand to his strong chin. "Is it so strange that I don't."

"Oh not at all! I've just find it strange that a man of your skills has never bothered gaining one."

"Well, stenography is not exactly a doctoral practice."

"Eh… I guess you are correct." Duran thought for a moment before placing several papers upon the mess of a desk. "and now for business."

"I am quite impressed, as I said before, that you chose me as your first candidate for Council of Seven, Duran. I am but a simple cryptologist and stenographer…" Werner addressed as he picked up a paper and scanned it.

"A simple cryptologist? Good Abram man! You cracked the Hyades code! Without your achievements at Mimir's Well, the entire Yggdrassil project wouldn't be able to stand!" Duran practically shouted.

"I was just working off the cryptologists before me… however, I do have the understanding of how the information library Hyades works…" Werner smiled. He was a proud man, and loved a bit of admiration every now and then.

"Exactly. The technology we work with is based on Hyades coding. My skillfulness with machinery is only applicable by itself when working with trains, ships, sand crafts, and other conventional machines. Yggdrassil runs on Hyades, not steam power or electricity or anything conventional…"

"And I'd be a Department Head at Yggdrassil, correct?" Werner questioned.

"The Senate and Berlitz have already approved you, Werner. It took some persuasion because your lack of any kind of diploma, but your concrete as of now. At Yggdrassil, you will handle a small team that you yourself will choose. The task of revitalizing the planet's a big one of an enormous scale, so a task force is needed."

"Understood. I'd have to move away to Yggdrassil, would I not?"

Duran sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. Traveling to Yggdrassil is not like a ride to the post office. Our ancestors built the place as far as possible from everything for who knows what reason."

Werner began quoting from one of Berlitz's papers he had been scanning. "Yggdrassil lies atop the most active Leyline in all of Filgaia, so therefore, it is the most plausible place to start an action such as this…"

"Are you satisfied by making a fool out of me?" Duran smiled.

"I sure am." Werner chuckled.

"Well, back to business, to sum it up, yes, you would. However, The Senate so graciously added to their bill that Yggdrassil shall not be entreated upon by any persons until the year 1863."

"What for?" Werner narrowed an eyebrow in question.

"They'd like us to have an idea of what we're doing before handling such machinery. If something were to go wrong, the potential for disaster is global. They don't realize that in order to use the machines we need to be able to observe them. Politicians no nothing about science."

"That's why they're politicians. So, for three years we'll be conducting research somewhere else?"

Suddenly, the door to the office opened, revealing that charming woman Ekatrina, carrying several tea cups. She walked in, smiling, and placed the sea set at the end of the desk. She handed a small saucer with a tea cup before both men and sat herself down in a chair next to Werner. "Oh do please continue gentlemen…"

Duran took a sip from his tea and smiled. "Thank you miss Maxwell."

"Oh please. Just Ekatrina." Ekatrina blushed.

"The tea is perfect as usual, honey." Werner commented on his cup.

Duran nodded in agreement as he sipped once more. However, he felt something bump into his leg. He placed the cup on the desk. "You don't have a dog, Werner?"

"Not at all, why?" Werner replied.

"Something seems to be bumping into my leg under the desk." As Duran and Werner looked under the desk, they found a small girl, about two years old, leaning against Duran's pant leg. She had honey brown hair (the same as Maxwell's) and bright green eyes (the same as Ekatrina's) and wore a small purple dress. She looked up at the faces and smiled.

Ekatrina picked up the small child and set her in her lap. "When did you get in here Virginia? I thought you were in your cradle?"

"Not tired!" Virginia said with much emphasis, pumping her little fists in the airs. "I wanna play! Daddy bring a friend!"

Duran chuckled. "You never mentioned having a child, Werner! Isn't she the cutest thing."

"Ah yes. Virginia is quite something special to me."

"So I can see why you are so interested in our living arrangements…" Duran sighed once more. Family life always brings the process up a whole other level. "Up until the Senate's bill time passes, we will work at Leyline Observatory near Humphrey's Peak. And to answer the next question you'll ask, you'll have five days to home every two weeks."

"Werner, what are you talking of? Does your promotion require moving?" Ekatrina questioned while trying to keep Virginia in her lap.

"I did tell you how I was nominated for being a member of the Council of Seven. Doing so requires that just I attend a work place rather far out, near Humphrey's Peak. We're talking about revitalizing the planet, honey, and that requires a lot of work!" Werner tried to rationalize.

"Six day workdays." Duran nodded.

"I know… but you never mentioned anything about moving away… Five days every other week? I don't know we'll manage?!" Ekatrina thought.

Duran coughed, excusing himself from the office room. He knew what was coming, and he never was one for fights. Ekatrina saw this, and asked the man to take Virginia out with him. And so, Duran and little Virginia walked outside the office and closed the door.

"This is why I don't like to bring families in…" Duran sighed, taking out a handkerchief and wiping his balding forehead.

"Hey mister!" Virginia shouted happily from the floor. "My name is Virginia!"

Duran looked down and gave a fake smile. "Is it really?"

Virginia nodded her chubby face. "Uh huh! It's spelled V-I-R-Ginia! But my mommy calls me Ginny!"

"Really now? Isn't that interesting…" Duran kneeled down to face the little girl.

"Uh huh! I'm two years old!" Ginny held up three little fingers.

"Why don't you show me your house while we wait, Ginny?" Duran asked, trying to get away from a tense moment.

"O.K!" Ginny leaped into the air with excitement. She grabbed Duran's old hand in her tiny young one and dragged him down the hall. "Hey guess what!?"

"What is it?" Duran asked in reply.

"I'm two years old!"

"Didn't you just say that?"

"Uh huh! Hey mister! Why's your hair white?"

"Because I'm an old man, that's why…"

"When I'm old, will my hair be white too?"

"I'm afraid so…"

"Will I have a beard too?"

"Heh. I don't think so…"

This type of conversing and running around the upper floor of the house continued for some time. Pretty soon, the two disappeared, and Ekatrina and Werner exited the office some hours later. The two had a fight, it was clearly evident. However, they were making up for it, and they wandered the hall, looking for their guest, when they opened Ginny's door. Inside the dark room, they found the old man sleeping soundly in a chair with a fairy tale book titled "The Giant with Two Heads" and a little sleeping girl in his lap.

** *


	2. Zwie

****

Three weeks later... July 1860

Werner Maxwell stepped out of the carriage, letting his dusty boots touch the earth's dusty surface. The coach driver leaped off his seat, instantly setting to the bags and luggage strapped to the top of the coach. Duran stepped out of the carriage after Werner, shading his eyes with an elegant yet simple black hat he had purchased. It was July, and the summer heat lingered about on the grassy knoll that they had stopped by. A cluster of trees shaded crests of hills every here and there, and the cicadas hum kept a natural music to the air. However, this summer meadow was home to an incredibly large complex; groups of buildings clustered together, such as a university campus would be. Werner adjusted the brim of his hat so that the sun would not shine in his brown eyes.

"Is this it?" Werner asked his friend, Duran, who was helping the coach driver with their things.

Duran looked up from a large pack at the rust colored campus. "Aye. This is our new home. Leyline Observatory..."

"Huh..." Werner looked at the campus. "Kind of out of the way, wouldn't you think?"

"There's a reason for that my friend..." Duran chuckled. "I'll explain it to you on the way in..."

** *

Two security officers nodded and pulled a lever in their little booth, allowing the chain link gate to slide open for the two men and their luggage. Duran smiled and waved as they entered. The ground was hard and unnatural, obviously cement. The large buildings sat in a grid fashion, all surrounding a rather large building in the middle. They were all the color of rust, and numbered with large white numbers. Mean and women walked about (Werner had presumed them to be scientists) happily as they conversed with one another. Large, pack animals were pulling carts of equipment from one building to another. Werner simply stopped to allow it all in. Duran, who was ahead, stopped and turned to face his partner.

"Impressed, Werner?" Duran chuckled.

"Quite..." Werner replied as he watched the pack animals pull the cart. They weren't oxen or cattle or even horses for that matter. They were a strange muscular beast that resembled the Horned Monsters in the Grand Canyon near his home in Boot Hill. The large, bipedal reptiles had to weigh at least two tons, and they carried about on them two enormous horns jutting from where their shoulders would be. Their blue skin covered a large, carnivorous head that let out deep grunts as they pulled with all their might.

"Cannon buffalo." Duran was reading Werners mind. "They import them from the Sunset Frontier. They make great experiments, as well as pack animals."

"Well, this place... it seems to have a university feel to it..." Werner commented.

"Excuse me sirs, but could we hurry up with you luggage?" The coach driver requested.

"Ah, yes." Duran answered.

** *

The luggage was set down in a room and the coach driver was given his fee. Smiling, the coach left, leaving the two gentlemen on their way. Duran felt it was probably best to announce their arrival before settling in, and Werner thought that as well. The hallway was lit with fluorescent lighting, adding to the observatory's technological prowess. Though the walls were of the same rust covered metal caliber as the exterior; there was a homely feeling about it. The hallway seemed to stretch for a long ways, allotting doors on the right and left. Werner looked about at the many people they were, passing as Duran led.

"This is all government owned, right?" Werner asked. It was a fair assumption. After all, the government was the one who had summoned the Council of Seven into being.

"Not exactly, Werner." Duran replied. "Before the Slayheim Civil War, this establishment was privately owned and operated. However, when the war had started twenty years ago, The Filgaian Government thought that this place was secretly providing the Arizonian movement with arms and advanced technology..."

"So the Government shut it down?" Werner asked.

"Nah, Leyline provides too many useful resources for the filgaian Government to shut down. So after the war ended, the Government was quick to try and nationalize Leyline. However, keeping the laboratory up and running was more difficult than imagined, so after about eight years, the government was about to give up. That's when Saint Industries stepped in..."

"Saint Industries? You mean the river boat manufacturing monopoly?"

"And the current arms developer for the Filgaian army. Saint Industries saw that Leyline was about to go under due to financial costs..."

"Because the Government was spending all of it's money trying to restore the State of Slayheim..."

"And decided they would help pay for the costs if they had a say in the projects that Leyline undertook."

"Huh, so Leyline may be owned by the government at first glance, but in reality it's owned by Saint Industries..." Werner concluded.

"It's not just Saint. Several smaller corporations have jumped on board as well. Today, the Government only provides about 13% of the finance."

The two finally reached a door at the end of the hall. Duran took a card from his coat pocket and swiped it through a reader. The door opened slowly, allowing the two passage. Werner and Maxwell stepped into a voyeur, where a secretary was sitting behind a desk, typing on a typewriter. She turned to the two scientists and smiled. "How may I help you sirs?"

"I am Dr. Duran Feld and this is Mr. Werner Maxwell." Duran introduced his friend and himself. Werner tipped his broad cap to the girl. "We were told to meet with the Leyline committee when we arrived."

"Ah..." The secretary ruffled through several papers before finding a certain one. "Here you are on the schedule. I'm sorry, but the committee is currently in a meeting. It will be over shortly, so you can wait right here."

"Thank you ma'am." Werner responded as the two took their seats. The sat down on a leather padded bench, under several black and white photographs which one would guess were the committee members. Werner looked over to Duran. "So, what is the Leyline Committee?"

Duran craned his neck so that he could make out the photographs behind him. Werner made suit. "The Leyline Committee are several people that head the Leyline Observatory. It's made mostly of corporate heads and things of that nature. Professor Berlitz is the only government official on the committee, so you can tell that's chiefly corporate in nature." Duran pointed to a photograph of an elegant middle aged woman with tied back dark hair and bright skin. "That is Anastasia Saint, the chief director of the Committee."

"Anastasia Saint, you mean the famous war hero from the Slayheim Revolution?" Werner pondered.

"The very same. When her father died, she took over Saint Industries and runs it the same way she ran her battalion: mercilessly. She's pretty much our boss until we leave Leyline."

Suddenly, a door opened and several men in business suits exited. Duran and Werner waited silently as the noisy train had left the room all together. Once they all had left, the secretary smiled towards the gentlemen. "The committee will see you now."

** *

It was a long, rectangular room, lined with bookshelves on two of the four walls. One wall was made into a chalkboard, as the other was windows, allowing sunlight to stream into the room. In the center of the room was a long table, in which were seated twelve men and only one woman. Several chairs were still empty, which Werner hoped were for people visiting, and not more men with more power than themselves. The men (all dressed in elegant charcoal black suits with monocles, tailcoats, and an array of mustaches) had a dignified look upon their faces as they waited for the two scientists to sit. Werner took his large hat off and sat his coat on the chair behind him. He was wearing a white button up collar shirt, which was tucked neatly into his khakis and suspender straps. He coughed as Duran was wearing a simplified version of what everyone else was wearing. At the head of the table was Ms. Anastasia Saint, dressed in a flowing dress of exquisite material and fashion. Her hair was dark and tied (just as in the photograph) and her skin was light, indicating a life of leisure. She seemed to be frowning, as all business type folk did when their precious time was being used.

"Dr. Feld and Mr. Maxwell, I presume?" Anastasia asked, her voice showing no emotion at all.

"We are they, Ms. Saint." Werner replied as Duran looked around the board. Berlitz was not to be seen.

A servant walked in, carrying a large dish, which several glasses of wine were held. The men took their glasses eagerly, taking a sip as Ms. Anastasia cleared her throat. "So you are the Council of Seven, is that correct?"

"Well, not just us, but essentially yes." Duran replied.

"Well let's get one thing straight. There's no need for formalities, for I have both of your records on file and have already taken the liberty of looking through them. President Grant may have summoned the Council of Seven along with the House of Representatives and the Senate, but your operation has been moved to this establishment until a further date. This means that you and you operations are under the board's jurisdiction. If your research is providing little results with a large amount of spending, then we'll pull the plug. There's no need in wasting money, is there?" Anastasia smiled.

The other businessmen nodded in approval as Werner and Duran swallowed. Werner had found that he didn't like the Leyline Committee. Not at all.

Duran finally decided to speak. "As for deciding who will be appointed to department heads of the Council of Seven, will your board be seeking to approve potential candidates?"

There instantly was a murmur among the board members. Several were shouting that they indeed should, as the board should approve all affairs under Leyline. However, there were those who thought that by getting too involved with the Council would lead with tensions with the government. Werner watched the debate. He had seen arguments in his time, but none so important as this one. If the board sought sovereignty over the Council, then many candidates might be flushed out due to something that had nothing to do with their scientific merits, such as race, gender, or academic prowess. The door opened as Professor Berlitz Lee stumbled in, papers in hands. Duran was very much relieved.

Anastasia knocked the table hard with a gavel, which instantly shut the men up. Her dark blue eyes ran to Berlitz, who sat himself down near Duran. "Glad you could join us, Professor Lee."

"I'm terribly sorry ma'am." Berlitz apologized at once. Werner noted this as well; even government officials held high regard for the President of Saint Industries.

"Hmmm. It is best for our corporations if we have approval over Council nominees. An unsatisfactory department head would cost the companies and share holders involved in this project too much money." Anastasia ruled.

"Hold one minute, Ms. Saint!" Berlitz spoke up. He held out a paper and showcased it before the boards faces. "No where in the contract does it say that the Leyline Committee has that kind of jurisdiction. Approval of Council members is reserved to the Senate."

"Need I remind you, Prof. Lee, that Project: Yggdrassil has an estimated cost of well over 4.6 trillion Gella, of which 56% is being paid by the corporations representing the Leyline Committee?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow.

"Are you deciding against the contract?" Berlitz was shocked.

"If we pull out of this deal, the Filgaian government is left with an enormous bill to pay by themselves. I am quite sure that a tax hike to pay it off would not be appreciated by the masses." Anastasia rested her fingers on the table. "And the same would appeal to an attempt to nationalize this committee."

Berlitz sighed and placed the paper down. She was quite right. There would be no way that the government could pay for such a project by itself. Yggdrassil is supposed to save the dying world, but yet these corporations still seek only profit.

"Well, onto department issues. How much space do you think the Council project will require on campus?" A businessman in a large handlebar mustache asked.

Berlitz looked to Duran, who nodded. Duran looked straight to the board director. "At least seven class AA laboratories and housing for some 210 people."

"Two hundred and ten people?" Anastasia repeated.

"Thirty people for each department…" Berlitz spoke.

"Thirty people does sound reasonable…" A businessman in a fancy monocle added.

"And most personnel will come from campus anyway, therefore housing on the majority is all ready provided." Another board member stated.

"Well then, I suppose then that your number of employees sounds sufficient. However, in order to provide you with your request for laboratory usage, we would have to build another class AA laboratory." Anastasia replied.

"Six will do." Werner finally got in to the conversation. "My department can handle any laboratory environment."

"Any laboratory environment?" Anastasia seemed quite pleased.

"Hahaha! We can provide a tool shed for you then!" A board member laughed. A wave of laughter instantly set through the table.

Duran leaned closer to Werner and whispered. "Are you sure of that, Werner?"

"I've been working out of my office for the last six years, Duran. I don't need the best of the best." Werner replied.

Anastasia tapped her gavel thrice more, awaiting silence. She looked to Werner, a smile creeping along her face. "Six AA class laboratories and one C class laboratory it is. Any other questions?" There was silence. Anastasia smiled and tapped her gavel. "Then this meeting is adjourned."

** *

As all of the businessmen board members and scientists emptied the room, Berlitz caught up to Duran and Werner as they walked a hall, drifting off from the busy business types. Berlitz rubbed the back of his neck as Werner placed his rawhide leather coat upon his shoulders.

"Ah, I am quite sorry for appearing late. Who knows what hell you two were exposed to…" Berlitz sighed.

"I had no idea saving the world would be so complicated." Werner said.

"Trust me, it could be worse." Duran chuckled. "In fact it will. Once we pick our candidates, we'll have to defend them in every way, shape, and form from the committee, the government, and the public."

"The public?" Werner questioned.

"There will be a protest party for about everything. Women's groups, animal rights activists, republicans, everything…" Berlitz filled him in.

"Sounds like lot of fun." Werner sighed. "Just how do we go about getting candidates any how?"

"Well…" Duran reached into his pack of papers. "We have resumes of over seventy applicable nominees. Your just going to have to choose them."

"Me?" Werner was surprised.

"You were always better with people then I was, Werner, lets be honest." Duran laughed.

"Well, I got you there…" Werner smiled. "Can I see those?"

"Already?" Duran asked as he handed the papers over to Werner. "Don't you want to at least get setteled in first?"

"The sooner the better, as they say…" Werner said as he opened a manila folder.

"There's a catch on that as well…" Berlitz spoke. "You must have at least one member who's a chief specialist here at Leyline…"

"Great…" Duran sighed. "Just how many limitations are there?"

"No idea Duran, but we're gonna get around them all right!" Werner looked up and grinned.

"I hope you do Maxwell… I hope you do…" Berlitz patted the taller man on the shoulder as they walked down the rusty hallway…


	3. Drie

**One Week Later… Mid July 1860**

Werner sat on a bench on a warm, sunny day underneath the arms of an old oak tree. The rust colored behemoth buildings of Leyline stood behind him, to the left of him, to the right of him, and across the park before him. He would be doing his work in doors, but it was such a nice day outside, what with the blue skies and the soft white clouds drifting through the air. Of course, the man wasn't by himself. Other scientists (mostly younger men and women) were out in the small park, sitting on other benches or on the grass, looking over their work. There was little tolerance at Leyline for laziness, but one can enjoy a day like this and still get work done, or so Werner theorized. He bit the cap of his pen as he overlooked the files sitting on the manila folder in his lap. It was the folder Duran had given him a week earlier, filled to the brim with potential applicants for the Council of Seven. He had to look long and hard, for not only did they have to be good enough for the job, good enough for himself, and good enough for Duran, they had to be good enough for the Leyline Committee and the Senate. The past week had been nothing but meetings with Duran and Berlitz about what to look for in an applicant and what would most likely pass the standards set before them. 

Werner sighed. "We've got a conventional machinery expert and a translator for the Hyades code… what else do we need?" Werner closed the manila folder and set beside him, where he promptly picked up a messy notebook, filled with chicken scratch about the workings of Hyades. Werner flipped through till he found a page decorated with three dog-ear folds. It was the summary of how Yggdrasalian energy is run. Most of it was just notes and the likes that Werner had copied after viewing. It clearly stated that the energy that Yggdrasalian class machinery runs off was not any thing of the conventional manner. It worked off biological energy, more precisely, brain waves. How it all worked was still a mystery, especially to one who had little experience in Biology such as Werner.

"Ah! A biologist!" Werner spoke out loud again, closing the notebook and once again racing through the manila folder. The birds in the tree chirped to each other as brown-haired man glanced across the specialties of ever man and woman who flipped through. "…Chemistry, Advanced Criminology, Psychology, Oceanography, Geology, Paleontology (Close.), Molecular Dynamics…"

"How about him?" A high pitched, feminine voice asked as a slender hand came over Werner's shoulder and pointed to the resume of one Dr. Elliot Enduro. Werner looked over his shoulder to see a young woman, (most likely in her mid to late teens) dressed in a short blue skirt, a blue sleeveless vest, a white button up shirt underneath it, and a brownish light jacket, complete with a red bow under her collar. Her wide eyes were brown, as well as her short hair. She smiled as Werner glanced at her. "My name is Koge, Koge Donbo. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Maxwell."

Werner stood up, facing the girl and shook her hand. "It seems you already know me." Werner smiled. "Are you a scientist here?"

Koge chuckled at the notion. "No! Not at all! I'm too young to be a scientist! I'm an assistant for Dr. Enduro."

"Ah… I was about to say, you look a little young." Werner rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was walking through the park and I overheard you talking to yourself. You're looking for a biologist, right?" Koge placed her hands behind her.

"Yes…" Werner picked up the paper on Dr. Enduro and scanned it.

"Dr. Enduro is a genetic engineer! He's got a real big project going on! Everyone knows about it and they all say that it's the biggest thing ever! I can say it's huge and never been attempted before!" Koge started explaining.

"Project?" Werner asked.

"What?! You mean you haven't heard about Dr. Enduro's project! The Sample Project?!" Koge looked shock.

"I'm sorry, I only arrived about a week ago…" Werner laughed. "What's so great about this project?"

Koge stepped closer to the man, talking in a low voice. "He's creating a creature from the very genes of Filgaia!"

"A living creature from Filgaia?" Werner blinked. "How so?"

"I'm not too sure myself! But I'm learning! I'm sure that he'd be interested in talking with you, seeing how you represent the Council of Seven!" Koge explained.

"You know who I am, huh?" Werner put a hand to his chin.

"Of course! Everyone on the campus knows who you are! You and Dr. Feld are here to pick members for the Council of Seven! A lot of the scientists are hoping to be picked!"

Werner smiled. "And what about you? Do you want to be picked?"

Koge blushed and stepped back. "N-not at all! I'm just an assistant! I'm not a scientist at all!"

Werner laughed and patted the girl on the shoulder. "No, of course not. So… when can we meet with this Dr. Enduro?"

"I'll see what I can do!" Koge bowed.

** *

**The next Day…**

Duran and Werner walked down a long hallway, dimly lit by fluorescent lighting above. The hallway was rust colored, as all the campus was, and the floor metal. Werner had a smile across his face, as Duran looked puzzled.

"So Werner, what made you pick out this certain one for nomination?" Duran asked. "His qualifications, specialties, skills?"

"His assistant pointed him out to me. She said he was a rather skilled individual." Werner replied.

Duran dug through the papers below his arm until he found Dr. Elliot Enduro's resume. He looked it over. Elliot was a lanky, thin man with dark hair. Not exactly the most handsome guy alive, by far. "Genetic Engineer, eh?"

"I figured it would be best if we had someone knowledgeable in biology, seeing how Yggdrassil is powered by brain waves." Werner stated.

"Yes, that would most likely be a good idea…" Duran smiled. "We don't want to kill every man, woman, and child on Filgaia, do we?"

"Or not have the machines work at all." Werner responded. " Duran, do you know what this Sample Project is about?"

"From my understanding, it's an attempt to create a living being from the genes of the planet. It's a test of the Filgaia Theory." Duran answered.

"Filgaia Theory? Filgaia is one giant living entity…" Werner mused.

"Kind of hard to believe, I know." Duran grinned. "Rocks are rocks and sand is sand. Nothing alive about those two. Well, look at this."

"Yes?"

"According to this file, Dr. Elliot Enduro has had several bouts of insanity in his lifetime, currently has an anger management issue, and has a superiority complex."

"Sounds like an interesting fellow." Werner crossed his arms. "Leyline will allow anybody on their staff, don't they?"

"More like if you're a genius, they'll ignore your faults… It was lab 77A, right?"

"Yes. We're here." Werner pressed the call button, waiting for an answer. It wasn't long before the heavy steel door was pushed aside, revealing Koge in a lab coat.

"Ah, Dr. Maxwell, Dr. Feld. So good to see you." She bowed.

Werner and Duran stood there, looking puzzled. She was strange all right. "Is Dr. Enduro in?" Duran asked.

"Ah, yes, allow me to get him for you!" Koge trotted off a bit into the laboratory. "Dr. Enduro!"

"Tell whoever it is I'm busy right now." Came an angry voice from a room within the lab.

"But Doctor!" Koge shouted.

"But nothing Ms. Donbo! No disruptions! How many times must I tell you this?!" Dr. Enduro shouted.

"Is now a bad time?" Werner asked Koges' back, which was facing him.

"I thought we had an appointment…" Duran pondered.

"As did I…" Werner sighed.

"But Dr. Enduro! It's Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Feld from the Council of Seven!" Koge screamed.

"Dr?" Werner raised an eyebrow.

After a moment, Enduro's voice came to Koge. "The Council of Seven? Tell them to wait a moment. I'll be with them shortly."

Koge nodded to the darkness and trotted back. "He'll be with you in a moment."

"So we heard…" Duran stated.

"Ms. Koge, you called me Dr. Maxwell. I think there's a mistake…" Werner shook his head.

"Dr. Enduro is a bit eccentric and won't take anyone seriously who doesn't have some kind of title." Koge explained this. "So just play along."

"Ah." Werner looked to Duran, who shrugged.

"Please excuse my tardiness gentlemen." And from the darkness came Dr. Elliot Enduro. He was a bit taller than Koge, but shorter then Werner and Duran by far. He was wiping his hands with an old rag and smiled to the two. "I am Dr. Elliot Enduro. Won't you two please come in to my office?"

"Of course." Werner replied. "I'm Dr. Werner Maxwell." Werner extended his hand out to be shaken, as Elliot received it.

"And I'm Dr. Duran Feld." Duran shook his hand.

The four walked into the laboratory, which was quite the messy place. Rust colored walls, dim lighting, and tools and notes of all kinds littered about.

"Excuse the mess gentlemen, I was busy with a little research before you arrived." Elliot stated with a bit of a chuckle. He then turned to Koge and shouted. "Koge! Get this place straightened up right away!"

"Yes sir!" Koge saluted and fell to the floor, picking up notes and tools.

"This way to my office, gentlemen." Elliot began walking down the hall before they came to what resembled a large cubicle. Inside the space sat a desk and several chairs. Elliot sat himself down behind the desk as the two took their seats before it. Elliot cleared his throat. "Now, how can I help you?"

"Well, as you probably know by now, Dr. Feld and myself represent the Council of Seven, and we are searching for scientists to fill in the positions as Council Department Heads." Werner introduced the matter.

"Ah, and you've come to me? I'm very flattered." Elliot chuckled.

"Well, your marks are incredibly high." Duran placed the resume on the desk. "Werner, don't you have something to add?"

Werner twiddled with his thumbs as he thought. "Can we see this "Sample Project", Dr. Enduro?"

"The Sample? Of course!" Enduro stood up. "The Sample is my finest work yet. If you will follow me."

The exited the cubicle, walking deeper into the laboratory. Large cables came from every direction, all leading behind one solid door. The three walked to it and Dr. Enduro came to what appeared to be a typewriter mounted the wall. He tapped in a few letters and a hissing sound exploded from four vents on the door. Elliot turned to the scientists. "We must keep him under lock and key at all times. You don't know what will happen if someone who did not know what he was doing could do."

The two nodded as they walked inside. It was a small circular room, encased completely in thick cables. The centerpiece of this room, surrounded by thick cables, was a red capsule with green tinted glass. The capsule was filled with a clear liquid. Several monitors were around the room, and keyboards to match. It was overall dark. Elliot walked over to the capsule and walked up a small flight of stairs so he could reach the glass. He gazed in, inviting the other two to do the same. "The crowning achievement of all these years… The sample project is a project that deals with life. From my own hands, I have created him, a life form." Werner and Duran climbed the stair well. Werner narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the liquid. Elliot continued. "Leyline was captured using a special device. I took that energy and converted it into a single egg cell."

"Just how did you do that?" Duran asked, not trying to see through the glass. He could tell Werner was having a hard time, and Duran's old eyes couldn't even keep up with Werner's. "Using the Filgaia Theory, right?"

"Yes, as practiced by the leading expert in Filgaia Theory, Dr. Leehalt Alceste. The theory states that Filgaia is a living creature complete with a cellular structure. However, Filgaia is a silicon life form, not a carbon based one such as ourselves. Do you know what Panakea Fluid is, Dr. Feld?"

"The blood of the planet, That call it…" Duran replied.

"Those people are fools. Panakea isn't blood at all! Panakea is extra-cellular liquid, filled with cellular waste, debris, and nutrients. When cells lyse, their parts slip into this extra-cellular liquid, where the parts are used in other cells. Panakea fluid is extra-cellular fluid within Filgaia."

"But you said so yourself you crafted it from Leyline." Werner spoke up, still trying to find the Sample.

"Very observant, Dr. Maxwell. However, Panakea slips in and out of Leyline, dumping wastes in the leyline so it can be removed or dumping nutrients within to be taken to a different tissue structure. After several years, I was able to collect enough Panakea from a leyline fissure to start the Sample Project. There was enough Deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid within the Panakea to create a genetic code. By bonding a strand of DNA with RNA, I was able to create a strand. And afterwards, I inserted that strand into an empty, unfertilized egg." Elliot crossed his arms.

"But you said Filgaia was silicon based, right?" Duran asked.

Ah, very good. Using genetic engineering, I was able to switch several genes from the strand with strands of DNA from a carbon-based life form. Thus, he has the genetic coding of Filgaia, but the attributes of a carbon based life form…"

"How far in this project are you, Dr.?" Werner asked.

"Oh my…" Elliott glanced at his pocket clock. "It's time for recycling the Panakea." Elliot walked down the stairs, telling the Drs. to stay put. He tapped in a few keys on a keyboard and the fluid inside the capsule began to drain. Werner stepped back as he saw what lied inside. The sample. It appeared to be a human child. The liquid was being recycled at a constant pace, so the creature was never without Panakea. The new Panakea was much easier to see through then the last batch. The creature looked about fourteen or so, complete with white hair and closed eyes.

"Abram Almighty…" Werner gasped.

"This will be marking my twentieth year in the project. Jet here is nearing completion; his bones have almost completed ossification at this point. I'm guessing another five years of research before he is ready." Elliot stood at the monitor, impressed with himself.

"Th-this isn't it's natural form, is it?" Duran asked, pointing to the child in the capsule.

"Please Dr. Feld, he is not an "it". He is Jet Enduro, my son. And to answer your question, he is in a modified state. I altered his genetic structure to match my lost son. He will be pure, clean, and the perfect being."

"Intriguing…" Werner stepped back to the class, gazing into it.

"I can hear the human rights groups already…" Duran mumbled. "But still… Filgaia…"

** *

"Here's your tea, Dr. Maxwell, your tea with extra lemon Dr. Feld, and your coffee, Dr. Enduro." Koge gave each scientist a teacup as they sat at Elliot's desk.

Elliot sipped his coffee and placed the cup down, visibly upset. "Koge, I asked for black coffee!"

"S-sorry sir!" Koge swallowed as she grabbed the teacup and walked off to fix Elliot a proper drink.

"I swear, I should have left that girl with her kind building railroads…" Elliot sighed.

"Besides Koge, and yourself, is there anyone else involved with the Sample project?" Duran asked, getting to business.

"Dr. Pete Inkapalia." As Elliot answered, Werner set to finding the name in his manila folder. "He's been involved with this project for the last year and half. The man works nineteen-hour shifts and likes it. When he joined on, the project's rate of completion skyrocketed."

"Ah, Dr. Pete Inkapalia, Anthropology, Human Anatomy…" Werner found his man.

"The nervous system is his forte, really." Elliot added.

"Where is this man right now?" Duran asked.

"He's tending to a project that the Committee threw at us. He's been most fortunate to take care of it while I tend to Jet." Elliot stated.

"Threw at you?" Werner somehow didn't like the usage of words.

"Yes. The President of Pullman Railroads Corporation, a lady Samantha Trefeison, appealed to the Leyline Committee to save her child. The boy is a member of the race _Homo Sapian Superior_, or as the unintelligible crowd calls them, demons. She's given the Committee a rather large sum of money, so the committee threw the project at us. We've been trying Genetic Therapy, a process where we inject a DNA altering hormone into harmless viruses that we inject into the boy, but the reverse keeps occurring. When we first received him, he looked like a normal eleven year old boy, but after half a year of genetic therapy, he's gained anorexia, pail skin, sweaty palms, gangly hair, and a patch of chrome skin on the right side of his face, complete with a red eye. We're bringing out the demon in him more than we are hiding it. At this rate, the Committee will be sure to cancel the renewal of the Sample project's funding.

Koge walked in just then, with coffee in hand. She set the cup before Elliot and smiled. Elliot took a sip. "Much better Koge. Why don't you go check on Dr. Inkapalia and the boy in lab 76C?"

"You mean Zed? A-alright…" Koge swallowed and walked out of the cubicle.

"She was awfully afraid…" Duran noted.

"Well, the boy… Zed… has inherent abilities to download applications into ones mind, basically subduing you to any reality he can conjure up. His father took a climber's piton to the skull in order to save himself from the boys nightmarish programs. We here keep him drugged at all times to protect ourselves from it…" Elliot explained.

"According to this file, Dr. Inkapalia came from practically nowhere before joining a lab in Jolly Roger several years back. No place of birth, no indication of family…" Werner told.

"Pete's never talked about his past, and always keeps it hidden. I suspect something happened to him a long while back, and he keeps himself working these long hours to forget it…" Elliot said.

"Would you look at those marks though…" Duran whistled. "He's the smartest man in the region."

Werner took in a breath and smiled. "Elliot, if you don't mind me calling you that, I think you have what it takes. I believe that if not the Sample project alone, your marks could get you as a Department Head. The Sample Project really is something amazing. If you are council member, your project will definitely get the funding it requires, and you could drop the demon child case. But first, I'd like to meet Dr. Pete Inkapalia…"

"Well, yes, of course…" Elliot mumbled. "I'll see what I can do to schedule an appointment. The man doesn't have a lot of free time."

Duran leaned over to Werner. "Are you sure about this, Werner?"

"We'll see…"

** *


	4. Vier

****

One Week Later… Late July, 1860

Werner Maxwell sighed as he drummed his fingers atop a rusty rail on a balcony. The sun was setting across the tree dotted hills along the horizon. A gentle breeze swept through, picking up and dropping off odd leaves with it. The campus below was quiet and lonely. It was Sunday, and the researchers had all gone to their quarters, if not home at all. Werner reached into his rawhide leather coat, withdrawing a photograph of he, Ekatrina, and the small child he called Virginia. It was black and white, as all photographs were, and a very formal photograph at that. However, he could still catch a smile on Ekatrina's lips. Werner smiled back as he heard the calls of geese flying overheard in the purple-orange sky. They were heading home, those geese, to be with each other. However, Werner was not. It would be best to get a good amount of the basic level work done first, he reasoned. That way, there'd be no guilty consciousness, or the wrath of one Ms. Anastasia Saint and her committee. He'd be a good researcher, and even a better council Member, if it meant sacrificing a few days with his family. Yet the brown-haired man sighed once more and looked longingly to the west. This entire operation was for them, his family. To save Filgaia in order to bring about a better life for them.

"What's on your mind Werner?" Dr. Duran Feld asked as he emerged from a door, behind Werner.

"Why do you ask?" Werner asked as he turned to greet the much older man.

"For instance, anyone watching a sunset in the posture your in has something on their mind. It's a scientific fact." Duran chuckled.

"Oh really…" Werner grinned. "I was just thinking of the family back at Boot Hill." He handed the photograph to Duran.

Duran reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his spectacles, which he placed upon the bridge of his nose and looked at the photo. "A very nice photograph, if I say so myself." Duran then turned his eyes to Werner. "So why don't you go visit them?"

"We should be getting our work done first, build a reputation with the council before we do things that would waste their money, don't you think?" Werner asked Duran.

"So spending time with your family is a waste of the committee's money, huh?" Duran glanced at the photograph once more. Werner turned his gaze back to the sun.

"I don't want to screw up, Duran. The Senate, Berlitz, and the Committee all are watching us. I don't want to seem like an average employee. I want to be seen as Council Member material." Werner spoke.

Duran folded his spectacles and placed them back in his pocket. He let out a breath and leaned against the same rusty railing, his back to the sun. "You know Werner, I once had a family. Real loving type too. Married to an Tiffany Bryant. Wife, three kids, a dog and a cat. But my work always came first, back in those days. Years and years ago… I'd be out late at the lab every night, would spend weekends there, work always needed to be done. I missed my children growing up, and my wife missed me. It got to the point where one day, I returned home to find most of the furniture missing, …the beds empty, …and a note, saying my wife had left me for another man that she had met years before. I was alone with nothing but my work…"

"…That's terrible, Duran." Werner replied.

Duran reached into his vest pocket and pulled out his pipe and a match, handing Werner the photograph back. The old man lit it and took a deep breath of the cherry flavored smoke and let it out. "That it is… The point of my story is that don't let your work life overtake your personal life. Don't miss out on your family." Duran then patted Werner's shoulder and stood straight up. "We have an appointment with Dr. Peter Inkapalia tonight, right?"

"…Yea." Werner replied, turning to Duran after picking himself off the railing. "After a week of trying to get a free spot with him."

"From what Dr. Enduro said, he may have had the same problem as I did…" Duran mused.

"You don't keep yourself working night and day, Duran." Werner gave a smile.

"That I don't Werner. I'm a lazy old fool." Duran chuckled to himself before opening the door and walking in.

Werner shook his head. Duran was quite the character, but… Werner looked at the photograph once more. His Wife's lips seemed to have turned from a slight smile to a look of worry. "Don't worry Ekatrina. I'll be home soon enough. But first, I need to assemble the Council of Seven."

** *

The two scientists walked through a rusty hallway once more. The lights even dimmer and the darkness ever more prevailing. Several laboratory doors were opened as scientists of all kinds readied themselves to go back to their quarters or have a bit of night life. The janitorial staff slipped between doors; often inwardly asking themselves why they signed on to clean messes of such high caliber. Duran carried with him several papers, as did Werner (including the manila folder.)

"Laboratory 76C, was it?" Duran asked, his eyes darting back and forth from door numbers.

"I believe so. Elliot and Koge should be waiting for us." Werner replied.

"Shouldn't you be calling Dr. Enduro by his title?" Duran asked the man.

"The Council of Seven should be on friendly, first name terms with each other. The Councils of Seven of the past were like family, and thus so should ours." Werner lectured.

"You do forget that Dr. Enduro has that superiority complex?" Duran reminded him.

"He'll have to get use to it. He hasn't been given the 100% clear sign yet."

"Ah. We are all to be a family to replace the ones we've left behind?"

"I don't like to think of it as leaving behind, Duran…"

"Sorry. However if we're all to be family, I'd much rather lounge at a restaurant than a laboratory." Duran laughed.

Werner chuckled a bit as well. "I'd love that as well. Will they have trilobite tails at this restaurant?"

"Only the finest. Boiled and then grilled with a nice layer of butter and garlic."

"And Axebeak wings, I'm sure."

"Now let's not go too far Werner. I'm sure we'd have to settle on Pordarge wings with our current salary."

"And yet we can afford trilobite tails?"

"Trilobite tails I'll make an exception for." Duran laughed. "Ah, here we are."

Laboratory 76C, or so the sign read, lied before them. The door was solid, thick, and open. A light appeared on the inside as an old janitorial woman walked out, carrying a bucket of water and a mop. The woman nodded to the two taller men as she exited before walking down the hall. There was no sign of either Elliot or his assistant Koge.

"You think they're still in there?" Duran asked his fellow scientist.

Werner opened his manila folder and quickly referenced the file on Inkapalia (it had a bookmark over it for easy reference.) He was an older, squat man with dark spectacles and crazy black hair and a pencil thin mustache. His race was definitely Baskar. "According to the file, he's a workaholic. I doubt he'd leave this early."

Duran stepped forward, tapping on the thick metal door and glancing about inside. "Hello! Anyone there?"

A few quick steps and Duran was greeted by the lovely Koge Donbo. She smiled as she realized who it was. She bowed before the two. "So glad you could make it. Won't you please come in?"

"You don't need to bow Koge." Werner held his hands out in protest. "We're not anyone of real importance."

"Well, of any significant importance…" Duran coughed.

Koge stood to her short full height and shook her head. "To bow when greeting someone is a custom for my people." She giggled. "Dr. Enduro and Dr. Inkapalia are inside."

"Ah. Lead on." Werner smiled.

"O.K." Koge turned and walked through the heavy door, leading the researchers into a large round room that was brightly lit and well kept. Several boxy stainless steel tables sat on the floor, and a round table was in the middle, which above hung a large display of nasty looking tools. Werner whistled at the heinous contraption as Duran looked on, all the while being led by the petite miss through a door, leading into a small library. There sat four padded chairs around a coffee table. Werner could see Elliot sitting in a chair opposite them, but couldn't make out the Baskar scientist.

"So good to see you again gentlemen." Elliot said through clasped hands. "I trsut you've been well?"

"Fair enough." Duran smiled, allowing Koge to set their chairs for them.

"Well aren't we all." Elliot seemed to murmur. "I'm so sorry you had to wait this long to see my partner. He's quite the busy body."

Werner thanked Koge as he sat in his chair. "So, where is the Doctor anyhow?"

"He is here, be assured. Peter may be busy, but he's not rude." Elliot smiled. "Koge! Go and fetch Dr. Inkapalia! Now!"

"Yes sir!" Koge replied before hastily making her way out of the small library.

Werner cleared his throat while Duran checked his watch. Elliot tapped his fingers along his knee in his ill patience.

"So Elliot, perhaps you can answer a question or two while we wait." Werner insisted.

"I'm happy to oblige." Elliot said darkly. "Ask me whatever you wish."

Werner glanced to Duran, who shrugged. Werner opened his notebook. "Elliot, why would you like to join the Council of Seven Department Heads?"

Elliot's false smile turned into a frown as his eyes looked to the upper right. It was a moment or two before he opened his thin lips once more. "To honestly answer your question, it would be for the respect, and the challenge."

"Respect?" Werner questioned.

"Seriously, the honor of being chosen a member of the Council of Seven is one of the highest honors a researcher can ever dream of. To be approved for a multi-billion Gella project that is saving the world from extinction… there's not quite anything else like it…" Enduro's eyes sparkled with glee as he spoke.

Werner jotted a few notes in his book and smiled. "I suppose it's a good enough answer. There is quite a large amount of honor being placed on one elected into a position where only seven can be."

"Nothing quite like it." Duran quoted.

"Dr. Enduro!" Koge's voice called as she walked back into the room.

"Yes, what is it Koge?!" Enduro snapped.

"Dr. Inkapalia would like you and the two other doctors to see him in the workshop." Koge bowed.

"I swear… Can Peter give up one hours work at all?" Elliot growled.

"It's no problem. Really." Werner protested.

"We'd like to able to see his work." Duran added.

"Well, if you'll follow me." Koge smiled.

** *

The workshop was a rectangular room with many tables in it. Once again, tools of all kinds lay about, and research notes were like a freshly fallen snow. Koge stepped to the side as the three scientists walked in. Dr. Inkapalia was on a stepladder, pushing a book back into its place in a bookshelf.

"Hello boys." Dr. Pete Inkapalia greeted without turning towards them. "I'll be with you in a moment."

Werner and Duran stepped to the stepladder, standing below the large scientist atop it. Werner decided to speak first and reached a hand out to shake with. "I'm Werner Maxwell."

"DR. Maxwell!" Koge interrupted, silently reminding Werner to remember his false titles.

"And I am Dr. Duran Feld. We represent the Council of Seven." Duran extended his hand as well.

Pete started down the ladder and shook their hands heartily. His eyes were small and dark, yet full of cheer. "Good to meet you. You probably guessed it by now, but I'm Dr. Pete Inkapalia."

"Dr. Inkapalia is currently in the process of publishing a book." Elliot interrupted.

"Really? What about, Dr.?" Werner asked.'

"Oh it's nothing. Just a few detailed papers on the anthropologic fields of human, Elw, Demi-Human, and _Homo Sapien Superior_." Pete blew it off.

Duran took out his spectacles and glanced at the book that had been recently placed in the bookshelf. "_The History of Ourselves_ by Dr. P. Inkapalia…"

"It is quite thorough, it's won a few awards as of now." Elliot stated.

"Well that's not anything of importance." Pete grinned. "Just anyone can write a book. You guys want to see the good stuff."

"The good stuff?" Werner raised an eyebrow.

"This way, gentlemen." Pete smiled as he began to walk out of the room.

"Peter, you're not going to show _that thing_ off, are you?" Elliot grumbled.

"Of coarse I am. Things aren't impressive unless they actually mean something." Pete replied as the caravan of scientists emerged back into the table room connecting to the main exit. Peter walked to a table, allowing Duran and Werner to stand next to him. "Koge, be a dear and start twisting the other side."

"Yes sir!" Koge smiled as she walked to one end of the stainless steel box table and took hold of a lever. Without a word, Elliot sighed and took hold of a lever on the other side. At once, the two set to pulling the levers in unison.

The top of the table opened up, revealing a cadaver of some sort, lying in the compartment in a thin layer of green liquid. The actions of the levers helped raise the body to the surface of the table. With a loud clink, the body was held in place.

The body itself seemed to be of a young woman of seemingly Baskar descent. She seemed peacefully asleep under a blue towel. A slight incision could be made out from the top of her black hair covered scalp down below the sheet.

"A Baskar cadaver…" Duran stated.

"Not quite, Dr. Feld." Pete interrupted. "Upon closer examination, she is of Elw heritage."

"Elw? I thought they were extinct." Werner examined.

"Oh don't worry. They are quite extinct." Pete chuckled. "This example is some twenty years old."

"Twenty years old?! That is some powerful formaldehyde." Duran commented.

"Of my own design. She was quite withered when she came into my care." Pete grinned. "But now it's time I explain. Koge, would you fetch us some gloves?"

"Right away sir!" Koge was gone and back in a flash, handing the two doctors a pair of plastic gloves.

Donning a pair of plastic gloves himself, Pete stripped away the sheet and inserted his fingers into the incision that ran the length of the cadavers body. He smiled as he lifted the skin and dermis and folded it back, revealing the innards of the Elw maiden. Her innards were sitting in the same pool of green liquid that sat outside her, giving a quite eerie visual. The ribcage immediately surrounding the heart had been done away with, leaving a square hole with which to view the heart. Pete clutched the heart gently in his palm and removed it from the body. (The major arteries and veins being cut loose a while back.) Pete noticed the attention on the heart and cleared his throat.

"This is an Elw heart." Pete notioned the muscle that resembled gray roast beef in his palm. "Notice its size. It's larger then a human heart by far. This would indicate several things, such as the ability to survive atop higher elevations, the ability to endure much more physical stress, and the ability to pump blood over the body much faster, thus cleansing the body of toxins faster then a human would."

"Interesting. Would this have any connection to the Elw's ability to feel the planet?" Werner asked.

"One would think, eh Dr. Maxwell?" Pete suggested. "The reason for this I have theorized a number of items. For instance, let us take a look at this…" Pete placed the heart back into it's chamber and closed the flap of skin. He then walked over the head, pushing Elliot aside to make room for his two guests. Gently, he took a screwdriver from his lab coat pocket and undid two screws lining an almost invisible suture around the cranium. Once the screws were out of place, he gently pulled the scalp and frontal plate off the head, revealing a gray brain wrapped in a layer of Dura matta. Carefully, the Baskar slid the brain out, having previously severed the spinal cord, and held the thing in his hands. "This is the brain. It's about the same size as a humans, same weight, same amount of folds and wrinkles. The difference is not in the upper brain at all, but in the mid brain." Pete toyed with the brain until he was facing the rear end of it. He then gently pulled on the top, revealing a space inside where the mid-brain was. "The mid-brain rests in here. It consists of the hypothalamus, thalamus, Pons, and medulla oblongata." The doctor was sure to point out every piece. "The difference between your brain and this brain is the size of the mid-brain. Hers is somewhat larger, especially in the hypothalamus. The mid-brain is responsible for your subconscious actions; breathing, pumping of the heart, temperature regulation, things of that nature. It is also the receiving point of electrical signals from the body. Signals from the optical, olfactory, and tactile nerves come here, as well as various internal signals. From here, they are redirected to the corresponding area of the brain. Elw hypothalamus' are much larger then humans, which leads me to believe-"

"-That they also received signals from Filgaia…" Duran finished.

"Exactly. Electrical signals from surrounding living creatures could jump through the air and flesh and end up here, where a sort of sixth sense would determine what it was. However, I cannot test it due to my specimen being disposed of an all." Pete stated.

"That is quite intriguing…" Werner placed a hand to his chin.

"It makes sense when you add the Filgaia theory. Electrical signals from Filgaia could pass into an Elw's hypothalamus, thus creating a link between the two." Elliot observed.

"Elliot. You said that this "Zed" had a similar gift, right?" Werner asked.

"I would not call it a gift, Dr. Maxwell." Elliot frowned.

"It works almost the same." Pete interrupted, adjusting his tiny glasses. "Zed uses his medulla oblongata instead, thus giving a less powerful signal. Zed doesn't receive signals though." Pete then grinned a dark grin. "Would you like to see him?"

"I'm not sure we ought to. He is but a child…" Duran sighed.

"We'd love to." Werner nodded.

"Pete! It's not a good idea! What if he overcomes the drugs while they're here? Their added presence may change his status." Elliot warned.

"Oh poppycock." Pete laughed. "Koge, would you go and get Zed for us?"

Koge swallowed. "Y-yes sir…"


	5. Funf

****

Late July, 1860

The three gentlemen awaited in the table room, each with their own speculations of what was to happen next. The large room eagerly awaited the arrival of Koge and the much-feared "Zed". Elliot was a bit tense, but then, he was always a bit tense. Pete seemed rather nonchalant about it, but it was his idea in the first place. Duran frowned. He wasn't too peculiar on the idea. On so many levels did this not seem proper. However, Werner was very much eager to see this young terror, the demon.

"Dr. Inkapalia, Dr. Enduro, do either of you believe in the story of Adam and Zeikfried?" Werner asked, a small smile forming upon his lips.

"The Faluna bible is all poppycock, Dr. Maxwell." Elliot narrowed an eyebrow. "Real men of science don't waste their time on such silly notions."

"I am not familiar with this story." Pete said. "I never got around to reading the Faluna bible as a good Abramist should." He smiled and laughed.

"The story of Adam and Zeikfried is the creation of man and demon." Werner started. "I don't necessarily believe it myself, but I am suddenly reminded of it. When Abram created Filgaia, he created Adam, man, in his image, as his son, to live out his existence upon Filgaia happily and peacefully. However, Adam grew jealous of Abram, who lived in the sky and had many angels to do his deeds, where Adam had none. So, from a bone of a dragon and his own flesh he fashioned Zeikfried, a stronger man to do his deeds. Abram was furious at this, as Adam hadn't the right to create. And so, Abram cast Zeikfried away to wander the globe without his love, as a hated child. And as for Adam, since his actions had spawned from his jealousy and envy, Abram created a consequence for these feelings. He gave Adam mortality and created illness and plague to live in the world. However, Adam was still very much loved, and he began the human race…"

"Of course, how can a species propagate with only one male?" Duran laughed. Elliot snickered at this.

Pete smiled. "And where do the Baskar and the Elw come in?"

It was then when a door opened for itself, letting in the young girl Koge. She was pushing a cart, and biting her lip at the same time. Upon the cart seemed to sit a young child. He was pale in all sense of the word, and long, stringy blonde hair fell from his head to his shoulders. The child's face was hidden as he looked at the floor. He was very thin, haven been diagnosed with anorexia, and he was wearing only a pair of black pants.

Koge pushed the cart to the center table, the round one underneath the array of rather brutal looking tools. "H-here he is, doctors."

"Well done Koge." Pete said as he stepped towards it. "You can stand back now."

The girl did as told with much relief, and the four scintist gathered around the cart. The boy continued to sir motionless.

"So this is "Zed"." Werner stated.

"Very much so, doctor. A half breed demon." Elliot replied. "Well Pete, I guess you should begin."

"Thank you Elliot." Pete strapped on a pair of plastic gloves and reached above him for a flashlight that was on the rack of tools. With one powerful hand, he clutched the boys chin and raised it upwards, shining the light into the face.

"His face…" Duran commented.

"Half of his face has been covered in a metallic substance, yes." Pete responded. It was true, Half of Zed's face was coated in a silver metal, surrounding a red eye. "The metal comes from a genetic trait that all demons carry. However, metallic skin is a recessive gene, so the genes for human skin are always pushed to the surface, as they are dominant."

"Have you identified what kind of metal it is, or how it would work on a living being?" Duran asked. "Metallic skinned demons are extinct, I thought."

"Very good, Dr. Feld." Pete said as he checked Zeds ear. "Pure blood demons, or _Homo sapian Superior_, are quite extinct. All we have left are small populations of half-breeds… The metal seems to be an organic source. The results from our survey found large traces of iron, whereas his blood seems to be suffering from an iron deficiency anemia as of late. One can only theorize that the iron has been redirected to the metallic skin."

"We've been given him large amounts of vitamin B12 and iron supplements in order to keep him healthy. At least, in the physical sense." Elliot crossed his arms.

"His face is not one large plate of metal, as it may look, but rather millions and millions of iron plated episquamous cells. His physiology is working now so that when these skin cells are created in the dermis, they are coated in a thick layer of iron instead of karotyn. The iron is porous, up to the last stage anyhow, and thus nutrients can be exchanged between extracellular fluid and the cell itself. His red eye is still anyone's guess." Pete explained as he shifted the boy's head so that the red eye was facing them. "It is completely bioluminescent to an incredible degree. My theory is that the eye has been coated with several layers of bioluminescent cells that have a red pigment. However, if that were the case, he would not be able to see out of it."

"He can see out of it?" Werner asked.

"Yes, at least that's what he has told us." Pete looked Zed in the eyes then. "Zed! Can you see out of your left eye!?"

The boy didn't respond for several minutes. But then there was an eerie laughter. The eye flashed and a smile appeared on his thin lips. "My name… is not Zed. I am Scarecraft…"

"Scarecraft?" Werner repeated.

Pete frowned and turned the flashlight off. "Koge, give him another dose of morphine."

"Yes sir." Koge saluted and picked up an anesthetic needle from the rack and cleaned it with a napkin. She injected the liquid into the boy's neck and stood back, watching the laughter stifle away to a silence.

"Pete, what did he mean by "Scarecraft"?" Werner asked.

Pete sighed and waved his hand, indicating that Koge should take the boy away. She did so at once, allowing the drugged up demon escape from the doctors. "He has been developing a different personality as of late. If we don't do something about it soon, he may end up completely insane before long. At this rate, we seemed to be worsening things. It may be good for research on Superiors, but as for saving a child, well, we've failed."

"Well… I don't think you two need worry yourselves over it." Werner replied.

"And why is that? If we don't fix it, we'll have the wrath of both the committee and the Pullman Company's on us! And that would definitely rule out furthering the contract on the Sample project." Elliot seethed.

"The Pullman Company, nor the committee, can touch you if you are Council of Seven." Werner smiled. "I believe you two have what it takes."

Elliot's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Y-you're serious!?"

Werner nodded. Pete laughed and threw his hands into the air. "Well lucky day! Council of Seven."

Duran smiled and reached through the large packet of papers he was holding. "If you two would start the paperwork, we'd be most thankful."

"Of course, of course!" Elliot laughed. "Right away!"

** *

**Three Days Later… Early August, 1860**

"You sure you want to see this?" Koge asked the two gentlemen hiking behind her. It was a beautiful day, one with the sun shining from far beyond blue skies and white rolling clouds. Koge Donbo had been told by the good doctor she was assisting to assist Werner Maxwell and Dr. Duran Feld in any way possible. And it was just that these two men needed a guide through the Humphrey's Peaks, a range of mountains not far from where Leyline Observatory was established. She wasn't exactly sure why they had wanted to go, but she was happy to oblige. She liked helping Werner… and Duran as well. They were about halfway up the slope of a particular mountain, the Humphrey's Peak. It was a naturally red mountain, covered in reddish soil and small conifer trees and Douglas firs. "Are you sure you want to see this radio antennae? It's awfully old and dangerous…"

"We've been hiking half the day Koge. What makes you think we're going to give up now?" Werner grinned. He was wearing his trademark rawhide leather coat and broad hat, added to an adventurers gear.

"Easy for you to say. You still have young blood in you." Duran rested for a moment. He, too, was dressed in adventurers gear, but needless to say, it didn't look nearly as dashing upon him as it did Werner.

"Why are you interested in the antennae anyway, if you don't mind me asking?" Koge asked, blinking those large brown eyes of hers. She was dressed in adventuring gear as well, khaki shorts, large boots, and a blue top within a rawhide leather vest.

"Oh, just for research's sake." Werner smiled. "Isn't that right Duran?"

"Werner, you owe my a rather large favor when we're through here." Duran tried to catch his breath.

Koge giggled and continued hiking along a path, using large, red rocks to aid her. Duran caught up with Werner after his break. "Well Werner, have you thought of our next candidate for Council?"

"As of now… no." Werner replied, scaling a rock that jutted from the needle strewn red path.

"Ah. Well, From what Berlitz has told me, the Committee seems rather pleased that you chose two candidates from their roster at the Observatory. Ms. Saint wasn't thrilled about Enduro, but she seemed to even it out with Inkapalia. Will you give me a hand with this rock?" Duran received Werner' hand as he pushed himself over.

"Choosing Pete went over quite well, didn't it? I was thinking we'd have some problems with his ethnicity." Werner started up after Koge, who was well ahead.

The cries of several Onkypete's interrupted the air as Koge pushed through the brush. The fat black birds escaped into the azure sky, cawing rudely. Duran laughed a bit and looked back to Werner, who was getting ahead again. "The Committee approached him to join their staff in the first place, so I wouldn't be surprised that they would favor him. It's the senate you have to worry about when it comes to dealing with issues as those."

"Oh yea. The senate is going to love that and Enduro as well." Werner grumbled. "But still, I stick with my gut feeling. We'll work things out."

"I can see why you want to work hard to get in the favorable eye. Your hiring the type no one wants!" Duran laughed.

"Exactly. A few mistakes by a liked man will slide." Werner responded.

"As long as we're climbing this peak, we should go into town, eh?" Koge announced from her position ahead. "A nice deli sounds good right now."

"Have you ever been to Humphrey's Peak before, Koge?" Duran asked.

"Only a few times with Dr. Enduro. Humphrey's Peak is a nice place, filled with lots of different people. It's got large buildings that aren't rusty, and restaurants, and, well, everything! And not a scientist in sight!"

"Someone's looking for a vacation." Werner whistled.

"Hey! I work hard, y'know!" Koge smiled. "Leyline's always working hard. Sometimes, you just need to let loose."

"Agreed." Duran stated.

"Not so admirable work ethics though. Is that what your father taught you?" Werner thought.

"My father was always working hard on the railroads. If he didn't, they'd fire him. Working railroads is the only job that we Orientals can seem to get…" Koge sighed.

"Hmmm… but your not working the railroads, obviously." Werner said.

"My father met Dr. Enduro a long time ago. The Dr. was looking for an assistant, and my father was the first one in line to try and give me a better life…" Koge stopped on a log.

Werner started to feel a little sorry for bringing up the subject. He glanced around. They were certainly getting high.

"My, this spot is almost identical to a Baskar sight I once visited in my earlier days." Duran said, finally meeting up with the two. "Well, I recommend setting up lunch."

"Me too!" Koge chuckled.

"All for it." Werner smiled.

Koge reached into her pack and pulled out the sandwiches that she had prepared earlier. Thin layers of ham and provolone cheese packed between two slices of white bread, wrapped in a napkin. The three eagerly started lunch.

"So, Mr. Maxwell-" Koge began.

"Please, call me Werner." Werner interrupted, eating his sandwich.

"Right. Umm, Werner, do you have anyone else in mind for your Council of Seven?" Koge asked.

Duran looked particularly interested. He had asked the question before, and was waiting to see if Werner would give the same reply. Werner coughed. "Well, not one one in particular, but I'm interested in a certain someone."

"Really?" Duran raised a white eyebrow. "And who pray tell would this gentleman be?"

"Anyone from Leyline?" Koge asked, interested.

Werner fished into his coat pocket and withdrew a notepad. He had several things in chicken scratch jotted down, and he squinted to make sense of them. "No, she's not from Leyline…"

"She?! Huh, first a man with mental records, then a Baskar, and now a woman. Werner, you really are trying to give the senate a run for it's money." Duran chuckled.

"I certainly am Duran. I certainly am." Werner sighed. "It was Elliot that first clued me into her. Her name is Dr. Melody Vilente, and she's a virologist."

"Vilente, Vilente… that name was on some records I filed! She provides the hormone packages for Dr. Enduro and Dr. Inkapalia's projects. They've been using those hormone samples to alter DNA on the sample and on Zed for years!" Koge spoke up, excited.

"I am not following. What does a virologist have to do with Yggdrassil? Yggdrassil uses brain waves to power global revitalization, hence the anatomist and the genetic engineer."

"Well, Elliot was telling me that she's also the leading expert in nanotechnology in the Union. Modern nanotechnology is a new filed, so it's not going to appear on many resumes, but Yggdrassil uses the concept of nanotechnology when dealing with Filgaia's cellular structure. I don't quite understand it all myself, but I'm hoping she can help clue us in." Werner explained.

"Where does she work Werner? Not far I hope." Koge said through bites.

"On the contrary. She operates out of a small clinic in a small town known as Little Twister, deep in Slayheim." Werner replied.

"That will be quite the trip." Duran commented after taking a sip of water from his canteen. "Slayheim is still under Union occupation, and there's still quite a bit of Arizona activity going on. The train we'd be on could be attacked by Arizonian activists."

"Arizonian activists?" Koge asked. "I thought the Arizona party was gone after the Slayheim civil war ended twenty years ago."

"Well, that's all what we'd like to believe." Duran smiled. "Unorganized rebels are still trying to liberate Slayheim and secede from the Union. Damn demons…"

"Well Duran, think of it this way. Yggdrassil is supposed to help save the entire world, and that includes Slayheim, so we should travel through there with smiling faces and helping hands." Werner finished his sandwich.

"Well that just seems silly. We won that war and have a large army there. Shouldn't they realize they lost?" Koge was baffled.

"It was the fact that the senate repealed the Arizona act that started the war. Doing that means that demons are fair game and it means so today as well. If I were a demon, I wouldn't be too happy with that." Werner said.

"Werner, you are most definitely a left wing liberal." Duran laughed.

"I sure am." Werner rubbed the back of his neck. "Well Koge, how much further till the radio antennae?"

"Not much further! C'mon!" And with that, the three packed up and continued on, much to Duran's protests.

** *

It was approaching dusk when they arrived at the top. Though trees and shrubs still dotted the mountain, snow was ever prevalent, even in the warm days of August. The radio antennae was a large tower, stretching into the sky. Several rusty dishes were mounted to it, silently transmitting messages across the region. Werner approached the tower and looked to Duran, who had already started to unpack a large transmitter from his pack.

"What kind of research are you two doing with the telepath tower anyway?" Koge asked.

"Telepath tower? Is that what they call this place?" Werner asked.

"Yup! It's called Telepath tower. The Committee built it a decade ago and named it after a story book or something." Koge answered.

"Well we're not doing research at all. Werner here is making one hell of a long distance broadcast." Duran said as he assembled his machine.

"Broadcast?" Koge was confused.

"Duran here is helping me in an attempt to reach my wife in Boot Hill. His mechanical skills should help the signal travel that far." Werner explained.

"You flatter me Werner." Duran blushed.

"…You're wife?" Koge repeated.

"My wife and daughter. I haven't' seen them in months. Letters take much too long, so I was hoping that this would work.""

"You do have a station near Boot Hill, right?" Duran asked. "If you don't, I don't think a simple radio will do."

"Yes, there's a tower near Boot Hill. It's for the Ranger's office, but it doesn't have too good of reception. We are a frontier town after all." Werner told the older scientist.

"Yes, yes, way out there in the territories." Duran mumbled. "Is Ekatrina familiar with the local Ranger unit?"

"Well, she knows the sheriff well enough." Werner thought. "That should help put them through."

"Do you even know what time of day it is in Boot Hill? I'd hate to wake such a pretty thing up in the middle of the night." Duran continued questioning.

"Just who's wife is this, eh?" Werner smiled. "Just patch me through."

"Very well." Duran reached for a cable from his signal booster and attached it to the tower, securing it with metal clamps. "Just don't let there be any Gob vandals out here…"

Werner placed the large, boxy headphones upon his head and crouched in the snow, near the microphone on the machine. Static buzzed through his ears as he tried to adjust the station. After several minutes, Duran stepped over and turned the knob so that clarity reached Werner's ears. Werner gave thumbs up and Duran nodded, wrapping his coat around him. Night was approaching the mountaintop.

"Hello? Hello? Boot Hill? Anyone there?" Werner began to speak.

"This is Boot Hill." Came a rough voice with that territories dialect. "Who be this?"

"This is Werner Maxwell, of the Maxwell estate." Werner replied.

"Ah, Werner, how you doin' you old coot?! Haven't heard from you in a long time. You in the ranger business now or something?" The voice asked.

"No, no, not at all. I am just far from home and I was thinking of talking with my wife."

"Now Werner, this isn't a public broadcast booth." The voice started to go through static. "I can't just let anyone use this. It's govament prapertay."

"Yes, I know, but just this once?"

"… Fine, just this once, ya hear? Your lucky no Baskar are around! You want me to go and fetch her?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

And thus, night fell over Humphrey's Peak…

** *


	6. Sechs

****

One week later …August 1860.

The train wheels of the Filgaia Express turned as steam billowed underneath. The rails ran underneath, slipping under the wheels as the sleek black vessel sailed across the vast scrub sea that was Slayheim. A mountain range was barley visible in the early morning mist, hiding itself in shadow across the horizon to the south. Brown and yellow grasses spread out in all directions, sharing the land with no other. Well, as much as Duran hoped for anyhow. These grasses could be hiding anything. Kill Deer, coyotes, and even a band of rebels.

Duran pushed himself from the window in his room. It was small and made up of a bench on both sides of the narrow room. His bags were resting upon a rack overhead, and his blanket and pillows were still draping a bench he had used for sleep. He straightened his bow tie, as he was dressing himself as fine as he could. A white, button up shirt under a sleeveless velvet vest in turn under a black cigar jacket was what he was adorned in. He sighed as he looked to the mirror strapped to the wooden wall.

"Slayheim, land of unconquerable dreams…" Duran muttered to himself. "For twenty years we've been trying to bring her under our control, and for twenty years we've done nothing but bring boys home in body bags."

A knock on the cabin door gained Duran's attention. He turned from the mirror and straightened out his beard rather quickly. The old man then placed a hand on the knob and slowly slid the door to the side, as if expecting some kind of assassin.

"Morning Duran." It was none other than Werner dressed in usual attire of a white button up with a pair of khakis and brown 'Y' shaped suspenders.

Duran slid the door open a bit more, giving a secret sigh, and stepped back. "Good morning Werner. How was your night aboard?"

Werner stepped in and took a seat upon the unused bench as Duran started to trimming his white beard with a small pair of scissors. "Never was one for trains. Preferred a good old horse and a sleeping bag if you know what I mean."

"I know exactly what you mean, but I don't necessarily agree." Duran continued trimming his beard. "Trains don't make well for grooming."

Werner sat on the bench, gazing out the window for a few moments before returning conversation. "Duran, what should we tell Dr. Vilente?"

"What do you mean?" Duran asked, not taking his eyes off the mirror.

"Pete and Elliot think I'm a doctor. I know a little white lie never hurt anybody, but should we continue telling lies?"

"… Werner, my boy, if you want my opinion as a proud, Abraminist man, I'll tell you to speak not of deceit…"

"Ah, …I was thinking that myself…" Werner looked at his black shoes.

"However, if you want my opinion as a professional, I'd tell you to continue using the title. If your going to talk of lies, I'd at least use a constant story."

"I suppose your right Duran." Werner chuckled. "We can't have Elliot telling whoever joins us that I'm a Dr. and I've already said otherwise."

"That would create a problem…" Duran clipped one last stray hair. A loud bang was heard as a passenger dropped their case in the hall. Duran practically leaped to the ceiling in panic.

"Haha!" Werner laughed. "What has you so wound up?"

Duran frowned and dusted his coat off as he attempted to regain his dignity. "It took me by surprise. That's all."

"You're worried about a rebel squad attacking the train, aren't you?" Werner smiled.

"And you should be too, Werner. It's no laughing matter. Slayheim isn't safe country, especially for government employees such as you and I. we're the first targets on the list!" Duran snorted.

"Wow, you really are taking this seriously. Relax Duran. Nothing's going to happen." Werner stood up and patted Duran on the shoulder. "By the way, why are you getting so dressed up for?"

Duran sighed and looked to Werner. "I try to look my best when representing the Council in front of potential candidates. I don't want to give the wrong impression."

"If you want to hide the fact that your government surplus, being dressed up like a politician is the last thing you should do."

"Let an old man have his dignity Werner." Duran grinned. "We are headed to a small rural town. We should show Ms. Melody Vilente that we mean business."

"Oh… so it's Ms. Melody now, huh?" Werner winked.

Duran blushed. "You're getting the wrong impression, Werner. An old man such as myself has no desire left in him for young women." He then cleared his throat.

"As you say Duran." Werner then stepped out into the hall. "Well I'm going to breakfast."

"Hold your horses Werner. I'll be there in a moment."

** *

The sun was at it's peak in the blue sky above the remote town of Little Twister when the train arrived. The station was home to only a few passengers in waiting at this hour, as well as a few Filgaian soldiers. The train pulled in and finally came to a halt after a long period of reducing speed upon the rusty rails. Great big signs in amber Posterbill upon red backdrops welcomed the passengers to "a little patch of paradise". The sun sank through missing boards in the canopy roof, creating sunspots upon the elevated station platform. The doors of the train opened finally as two soldiers marched to them, eyeing all whom walked out. Werner and Duran stepped out, behind the crowd, before the crowd, and between the two soldiers. Ahead of them, the platform ended in a broad staircase, emptying into the dust-covered street of Little Twister, more precisely, Main Street. A water tower sat in the middle of the wide road, as several inns, stores and bars sat along the side.

"Here we are. Little Twister." Werner announced in his trench coat and hat, carrying his goods.

"Indeed. I wonder if Ms. Vilente received our letter." Duran nodded.

"Do you happen to know where the clinic is?" Werner asked his fellow scientist.

Duran shook his head. "Not a single clue."

Werner looked to his side. A young soldier, clad in the blue uniform of the Union of Filgaia, stood there, ever emotionless, watching the town behind disciplined eyes. Werner cleared hid throat. "Excuse me sir, would you happen to know where the town clinic is?"

The soldier turned his head to see the broad hatted one. The brass bugles upon his blue cap shined in Werner's eyes. "Head straight down Main Street, beyond the water tower. It's the building on the far end, sir."

Werner nodded and gave his thanks as Duran glanced at the soldiers Springfield rifle ARM. They both then started to descend the steps, away from the crowds. The sun was much warmer out in the wilds of Slayheim then it was in Leyline, and the two found it a bit disturbing. Vigilant, nonetheless, the two marched down the dusty street. Several of the local men (poor farmers and out of work soldiers) gave the two disgusted and menacing looks.

"I can't say we're a crowd favorite out here." Werner whispered. His hand wasn't too far from his ARM, nestled in his coat pocket.

"It would appear that way. Perhaps we should have been escorted by a soldier…" Duran replied.

"For some reason, I think that would make things worse. There appears to be a lot of mistrust out here already."

It wasn't long before the two actually made it down Main Street The clinic was a small building, nestled between two larger offices. The screen door was the only barrier the clinic offered, and a large Red Cross was painted to the side of it. Werner and Duran stepped into the shade provided by the porch roof and stood before the door. A fat cat looked at the two from a rocking chair to their left and yawned.

"Can't say it's too much of a busy town so far." Werner took off his hat and scratched his head.

"A backwater place if I ever saw one. I wonder if the postal service runs out here at all." Duran thought.

"Well, let's hope so. It would be a shame to come all the way out here for nothing." Duran was about to knock, when…

CLUNK! The two council member's eyes strayed to the tin porch ceiling above them. Something heavy had just landed up there, ad was now messing about. Intrigued, the two walked out from underneath into the sun to see a large blotchy feathered Axebeak resting on the tip porch roof.

"That's an Axebeak…" Duran stated as he placed his spectacles upon his nose.

"Strange. It just perched there as any domesticated bird would…" Werner squinted to make the bird out from the sun.

Duran laughed. "Whoever thought I'd see a delicacy sitting upon a roof?!"

"A bird that size would fetch quite the price in Jolly Roger, eh?" Werner made out.

The large bird quit preening under its wing with its large blade like beak and looked to the two humans who were staring at it so curiously. The bird titled its head and let out an ugly squawk and raised itself on both scaly dark legs. A loud bang was heard from under the tin roof and the Axebeak immediately took to flying off. Werner and Duran looked down to see a rather large woman beating the roof with a broom. She had orange hair, a large, bony nose, easily identifiable make-up, and a nurse's cap and gown, as well as a cigarette between her lips.

"Get out a here you damn bird!" The woman cried out in a deep, raspy voice.

Werner blinked in confusion as Duran cleared his throat. Werner stepped up first. "Excuse me, Dr. Vilente?"

The woman leaned the broom against the painted cross and crossed her arms across her broad chest. "No. Margy. Margy Cascade."

"Is there a Dr. Vilente, here?" Duran asked.

"You wounded men?" Margy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, no, but-" Duran tried to explain.

"Then we don't want any. Thank you, good day." Margy then turned around and opened the screen door, but a small woman had opened it already and slid it form behind the nurse. She was thin with a small frame and was dressed in a long white lab coat with a dark turtleneck underneath. Her hair was Very light, almost white, and short in the back, ending just above her shoulders. However, her bangs almost completely covered her purple eyes.

The woman turned to Margy and spoke in a timid, small voice. "Margy, please don't send people off like that."

"But the debt collectors keep coming. If we greeted every one, we'd have no time for business." Margy said a matter-of-factly, letting smoke drift from her lips.

"We can handle it." The smaller woman said. She then turned to the two doctors and partially smiled, her eyes hiding a true smile. "May we help you gentlemen?"

"Thank you madam. I'm Dr. Werner Maxwell, and this is Dr. Duran Feld." Werner extended his hand, which the woman reluctantly accepted in a shake.

"We represent the Council of Seven, and we're looking for a Dr. Melody Vilente." Duran finished when his hand was accepted as well.

"I… I am Dr. Melody Vilente." The woman said sheepishly. She was shorter than Duran, but taller then Koge was.

"Did you receive our letter?" Werner asked.

"Y-Yes! Yes, I did. I'm very honored you selected me for an interview, Dr. Maxwell! Truly I am!" Melody leaped up, as if trying to defend herself.

"It's O.K, Melody, if I can call you that?" Werner laughed.

"You may call me that, Dr. Maxwell." Melody nodded.

"Please, call me Werner." Werner smiled. "May we step inside?"

"Inside?!" Melody looked behind her, past the screen door into the clinic. "It's-it's a bit dirty. I couldn't possibly let you in like this, I'm so sorry."

"Relax Melody." Margy patted Melody's small shoulder. "I'll clean it up for the gentlemen here." She then winked and opened the screen door.

"It's really no trouble, Ms. Vilente." Duran said. "We've seen our share of messes."

"Please, it-it's not prepared for you, Dr. Feld, Dr. Max-… Werner." Melody ended her sentence softly.

"Perhaps we should come back at another time?" Werner asked.

"Um…" Melody looked to the dirt below them.

"Dr. Vilente." Margy's voice came from within. "Why don't you take the good doctors out to the animal pen?"

"The animal pen! Of course!" Melody hopped, a smile on her face. "I-I mean, if you would follow me, Doctors."

Melody then began to walk around the clinic, between the clinic and the office adjacent to it. Werner looked to Duran. "Is it just me, or is she rather timid?"

"Just the opposite of Enduro, huh." Duran stated. "Well, let's follow."

Duran and Werner easily caught up to the female doctor ahead of them. Behind the clinic was a rather large building, what appeared to be a tin barn. Melody held open a door, indicating the two should go ahead of her. Werner smiled as he tipped his hat to her as he stepped in, causing the poor woman to blush. Duran stepped in afterwards, as Melody closed the door behind them all. The floors were dirt and naked light bulbs hung from wires off the ceiling a story or two up. It was overall dark, save the spots under the bright bulbs. The low growls of several large animals could be heard from the room over. Melody instructed the men to a large circular room with a concrete floor and a drain in the middle. Chins of all kinds littered the area, connected to the walls. Attached to such heavy chain was a large Cannon Buffalo, resting on the ground. Sunlight filtered through several holes in the wall, spattering the ground in sunspots.

Melody stopped before the Cannon Buffalo and laid a hand upon its scaly hide. "Well, first, is there any questions I can answer for you?"

Werner unpacked his notes and scanned through them as Duran started. "Your resume states you're a virologist. What exactly do you do?"

"…I study, examine, and research microscopic organisms known as virus's. These organisms are smaller than cells and consist of nothing more then a protein capsule, a stalk, and hereditary material. Using animal and laboratory research, I determine whether a virus can be benign or malignant and whether or not I can find a way to treat the virus." Melody explained softly.

"…You're in business with a Dr. Elliot Enduro, are you not?" Werner asked, looking through his notes.

"…yes…" Melody answered, looking at the sleeping animal.

"You provide him with DNA altering agents. Can you explain about that?" Werner asked, trying to look the timid woman in the eyes.

"DNA altering agents are specially crafted virus' that I have created. Dr. Enduro will send me a letter, requesting an agent that will alter a certain gene. I then create the genetic information needed to instruct a virus to do so, using pieces of DNA, RNA, and peptide agents obtained from certain bacterium to bond the two together. When I reach a satisfactory amount of information, I insert the coding into a harmless virus. Doing so, the virus' genetic coding for reproduction is still in effect, which is the only way to create large numbers of these agents. Agents are then inserted into a test animal, and if the coding I created was correct, the virus's would attack a cell and insert the coding. The coding then will react with the DNA already within the chromitids, 'unzipping' the DNA and RNA and replacing parts that I wish to be replaced, and then 'zip up' again. The viru's die and drift harmlessly through the body, where phagocytic cells would dispose of them." Melody explained, taking a little pride in her profession.

"Huh." Duran said. "That must take an awful amount of time."

"Yes, it would be rather interesting to see it in action." Werner crossed his arms.

"Well… I am about to test a new agent. If you would like to view it…" Melody smiled bashfully.

"We'd be honored." Duran said.

"That's a cannon buffalo, right?" Werner asked.

"Yes it is. Cannon buffalo are great test animals due to their cellular meiosis rate. When cells are lost, say due to a wound, cells will induce meiosis at once, rushing through the meiotic cycle at an amazing pace. They heal at a rate we humans could never dream of. If a cell's DNA is altered and a wound is applied, the cell will start meiosis, thus giving it's sister cell the exact same new DNA, and so on and so forth until a large number of DNA enhanced cells have been created. When a large amount of the cells have been created, we can then see the effects of the DNA on the animal." Melody lectured as she sorted through a briefcase that was lying near the wall. She took out a rather large hypodermic needle and squirted it to see if it was working. She then pulled from the briefcase a clear plastic raincoat. She donned the gear and stepped to sleeping megafauna and placed the syringe just behind one of the giant shoulder mounted horns. The beast's eyes shot open and a shriek of pain escaped it's toothy jaws. Melody stayed on the beast until the needle was completely empty, despite the thrashing of the animal. Once the needle was empty, she placed it in a disposable bag and reached for a clean knife. Carefully, she sliced an incision along the buffalo's hide, creating a small wound. Blood began to trickle as the animal roared. Melody then stepped back, cleaning the knife with a napkin, and closing her briefcase.

Werner was debating to question about the raincoat as Duran had his hand to his chin. "Should you give the animal anesthetic first?"

"Anesthetic slows down the body, thus inhibiting cell growth." Melody replied. "Now, it should begin."

The blue creature stood up on its two powerful legs and blinked several times. The wound was healing and the blood dried. However, the animal began to whimper and stomp about, straining against the chains. Duran and Werner cringed at the sight. The powerful animal was obviously going through a whole lot of pain. The area of the cut began to swell, and it wasn't long before the entire animal began to bloat. Duran and Werner stepped back as the cannon buffalo gave one last cry before unexpectedly exploding. A rain of tissue, muscles, blood, and skin fell over the room, covering absolutely everything within. The shattered skeletal framework that slumped to the floor was held together by whatever remaining bits of tendons and muscles was left.

Duran gave a disgusted look as his best clothes were covered in bits and pieces of cannon buffalo. "What the hell was that?"

"Science at best…" Werner grumbled as he flung a bit of cartilage off his nose.

"I'm-I'm terribly sorry! I didn't know that reaction was going to occur! Please forgive me…" Melody pleaded, hurt in her eyes.

"It's all right Melody." Werner placed his hands on her shoulders. "Science can be messy. Right Duran?"

Duran kicked a bit of flesh off his shoe. "Sure is."

"Right. Well, let's use this to our advantage. What happened?" Werner looked into her scared eyes.

"The agent must have created a hyperosmotic situation within the infected cells, swelling to a critical point. The rate of reproduction within the cells along with an attempt to balance out the pressure lead to a pressure build up within the cells. The cell membranes couldn't hold it in, and thus the cells exploded." Melody calmed herself down.

"Whatever you do, don't sell that to the military…" Duran sighed as he picked at his beard.

"Well… who's for lunch?" Werner smiled.


	7. Sieben

****

Later that day… August 1860

Lunch, as Werner so called it, had turned to dinner, for Dr. Melody Vilente said she had wished to freshen up after their latest excursion in biology. The two Council members agreed. To make up for the spare time left between then and the dinner meeting, Melody suggested they find an inn to stay at. And thus they did. Werner and Duran came to an inn known as the "Honey of Roses", which also served as a tavern. The company was not exactly welcoming, and the mood far from friendly, but what choice did they have?

"She did say that this restaurant was of the upper class kind, didn't she?" Werner asked as he walked in through their inn room door, arms full of bags and a stick of jerkey in his teeth.

Duran turned to Werner. Duran was forced to wear something less dignifying then he wore earlier, which was defined as a simple brown coat with matching pants over a button up white shirt. "Where the devil have you been man? We're supposed to meet Ms. Melody in half an hour!"

Werner looked to the clock to his right, jerky hanging from his lip. "Seven thirty… yea, it's getting close to that time. Say Duran, give me a hand with these, will you?"

Duran shook his head at his friend's lack of responsibility and walked over, taking a few bags from Werner's grip. He was surprised to find that not all of the bags contained food, but some odd merchandise. Chiefly, a small doll. "For Your Daughter, right?"

Werner put the groceries down and took a look at the little Baskar doll. "Yea, it's from a line of plushies called "From Baskar with Love" or something like that. A woman was rather extravagant about selling them to me. She said she had the entire collection herself."

Duran chuckled at this. "Well, one can't blame you for not thinking of others. But still, you must get dressed for dinner."

"What's the place called again?" Werner asked as he stepped into the other room and began getting undressed.

"I believe it was "Gwenevere's"…" Duran called as he set to doing his own things in front of a mirror.

"Gweneviere? Like that old myth of the dragon slayer's lover in the archaic wars?" Werner asked from the other room.

"That would be the woman." Duran replied.

"Say Duran, how exactly are we going to pull this off?"

"What off?"

"Yggdrassil. I'm still not sure as how it will work, if it ever worked at all. What did the previous Councils do?"

Duran thought for a moments as he rubbed water on his face. "The previous Councils efforts lead to the activating and study of the machinery at Yggdrassil, as well as wearing down the Hyades code."

"So, we won't be in the dark…"

"Just in a very dim spot."

Werner then stepped back into the main room, wearing his standard government tuxedo. Duran frowned for a moment, as he realized that his good tuxedo was destroyed in the animal shelter this morning. Werner turned about, smiling. "Well?"

Duran put a finger to his chin in analysis. The old man squinted and titled his head. "It works fine."

"Huh, it's strange she'd want to eat dinner at a classy place when she hardly knows us." Werner thought.

"We are government officials and Council members. We are an upper-class, Werner, so it doesn't come as a surprise to dine out." Duran explained.

** *

Melody sat in a chair, looking at her self in a mirror. She was still at the clinic, finishing up her "tidying". She was dressed in a long slender dark purple dress that started just below her shoulders and ended above her toes. The woman took a long stare at herself through her white bangs, looking into her own purple eyes. A frown formed upon her lips and her fists clenched. She turned away from the mirror, an angry look upon her face. Yet, from the corner of her eye, she could see herself in the mirror. She slumped down in the chair and let out a frustrated sigh.

"What's the use? I-I can't do this." Melody sniffed.

"Can't do what?" Came the unmistakable raspy voice that only belonged to Margy. The large woman was carrying a hamper in her hands. All of the lights were out in the clinic; save the small lamp set upon the counter before this mirror and chair. Margy placed the hamper down and leaned against the door frame, taking the cigarette out of her mouth. "Melody…"

Melody turned to her companion, who was still dressed in her nurse uniform, and sighed. "Margy, all my life, I've always been the smart one…"

"Well there ain't nothing wrong with being smart, hon. It gets you a great job…" Margy tried to explain.

"Jobs sure, but-but not men. All of the pretty women get the boys. I've never had the chance. I'm the smart girl, not the pretty one…" Melody turned away from Margy, wiping a tear from her eye and looking into the mirror.

Margy dropped her cigarette and snuffed it out under her white shoe. She walked into the small, dark room and placed her hands on Melody's small shoulder. "Is that what this is all about?" Margy was silent for a bit as Melody nodded silently. "Look, hon, you don't have to be pretty to get the men. I've known you for years, since grade school, and you've never let that get you down. Screw all the other girls, and damn all the men who go walking blind into their trap. You want a man that sees you for you are. Take a look at me, I've got a husband and a kid and you know it!"

Melody sighed and wiped her eyes. "But still. I'm not pretty, everyone knows it. All my life I've been ignored due to this. What makes you think this will be any different?"

"Wha, you have a thing for one of the Council men?!" Margy asked. She then took Melody's face in her hands and pointed Melody's face to the mirror, so she saw herself. "Look. Right there is a beautiful woman. Others can saw whatever the hell they want, but you know, and I know, that you are a beautiful lady that could get any man's heart she desired."

Melody smiled a little smile and touched Margy's hand with her own. "Thank you."

"Hey, no problem." Margy smiled and patted Melody's shoulder before returning to the hamper she had left in the hallway. "You go get hi, tiger."

"I'll-I'll try." Melody smiled a bit wider.

"Good. Then you can have kids and know what it's like to have little Janus running around all over the place." Margy laughed.

Melody blushed a bit and looked back to the mirror once Margy left. She looked back into those purple eyes of hers and began to whisper. "I am beautiful. I am beautiful…"

** *

The restaurant titled "Gwenervere's" was busy that night. Filled with what the locals called "Carpet Baggers" and "Yanks". People with generally enough wealth to dine out once in a while were welcome, whereas the poor farmer or the veteran of the war was not. Thus the restaurant had extra protection from the stationed soldiers, who patrolled regularly. It was it the upper-class part of town, far from main street. Tables were polished dark wood and the chairs soft and comfortable. A violinist and a pianist were playing a song together as the people chatted amongst themselves. Werner sighed.

"What's wrong now Werner?" Duran asked as the two waited at a table set near the dark wall. The entire place was dark; light only came from candles set atop the walls and tables.

"Just thinking of Ekatrina. Wonder what she'd say to this kind of place…" Werner looked upwards.

"If she's anything like most women, than she'd absolutely adore it." Duran answered. "But you have to stay focus, Werner. Start getting homesick and the whole thing's over."

"You're right when you're right, Duran." Werner turned his attention back to the table. "I wonder what is taking her so long."

"In my many years I've come to know one thing, and that is that women will never appear on time."

Werner leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers along the table. "So how are we paying for tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure whatever we purchase here will be of some considerable cost. Are we splitting the cost between the three of us, or…?"

"Relax. Such things are paid by the government." Duran flipped open his wallet and showcased a card.

"Can I see that?" Werner asked.

"Go ahead." Duran handed the card over to Werner. It was yellow and it read in large print 'Filgaian Government Official. The Federal Treasury shall reimburse all costs made through this official.'

"Did this work for your train ticket?" Werner raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. It works anywhere, but you must wield it with responsibility. The last thing you want is the Treasury Department on your back about misused money."

"Was making me pay for my train ticket considered "misuse of money", too Duran?"

Duran swallowed and chuckled. "It… It must have slipped my mind."

"Yes, we all know how old senile minds can be." Werner grinned.

"Touché Werner. That hurt my pride just now." Duran smiled.

"You bet it did." Werner then looked over his shoulder, and whom should he see but none other than Dr. Melody Vilente greet the doorman. The doorman nodded with a smile as she thanked him, walking towards the table, her eyes trying to stay on his.

"Ah, I see she's arrived." Duran clasped his hands together. "Now we can begin."

"Yes. Yes indeed." Werner stated as Melody walked up.

Melody sat herself down, despite the protests from the local waiter. She wore an orange sash over her arms, which was added to her purple gown. She flashed a brief smile and an inaudible hello to the gentlemen as she sat. Oh, how she tried to look Werner in his soft brown eyes. Melody's own eyes quickly glanced to the silverware wrapped in the white linen napkin set before them, her hands nervously clasping each other in her lap.

Werner immediately set himself in correct posture. "Good Evening Melody."

"Yes, good evening." Duran echoed, though a bit more outspoken then Werner. "I see you look quite ravishing."

Melody instantly blushed, hiding a secret smile, and focused her gaze on Duran's bow tie. "R-really?" (Boy, did that sound dumb.) She inwardly cursed herself for sounding like a school aged country girl. "I mean, thank you Dr. Feld."

"Please Melody." Werner smiled. "We should focus on calling each other by our first names. I'd go mad if someone called me Mr. Maxwell for three years."

"DR. Maxwell!" Duran gave Werner a quick glare. "You forget your title so much Werner. Heh heh."

"Ah, yes, my title." Werner nervously chuckeled.

"Well, um, Werner. What do you have a doctorate in? …if you don't mind me asking?" Melody asked.

"Well, um…" Werner rubbed the back of his neck, looking to the right.

"Stenography." Duran interrupted. "Oh Werner. You get so forgetful in front of the charming ladies. Heh heh."

"Stenography it is! Thanks Duran." Werner secretly sighed. "Yes, my doctorate is in stenography and cryptics. Coding and the like."

"Yes, you're the one who cracked the Hyades code, wasn't it?" Melody asked.

"Well, I didn't know my reputation went as far as Slayheim." Werner blushed a bit. "But that was me all right."

"My what humility you posses Werner." Duran chuckled.

"Well, after you sent the letter, I went through the trouble of researching you, I mean it was no trouble at all, I mean." Melody bit her lip. How could she sound so stupid.

"Really?! Well, that's being on the ball, eh Duran?" Werner was impressed.

"Quite. It would help us a great deal if every candidate was as prepared." Duran smiled.

Melody averted her gaze, bashfulness becoming her. "Well, I… I wanted to know if you were the real thing. …Your records don't say anything about a title, Werner."

"I, uh, acquired it recently. You know how long it takes for the Department to update their files." Werner stated.

"He'll most likely be dead before they ever do." Duran laughed.

A waiter walked by at this point. He smiled and looked over the three. "Ah, wait an astonishing group of gentlemen and women!" The lie was as phony as his accent. "And what will the monsieur's and madam have for dinner?"

Werner looked to Duran. "How much is that card good for?"

"Responsibility is the key Werner." Duran crossed his arms.

"Well, um, what are you going to have Melody?" Werner looked over to Melody.

Melody stirred in her seat, her eyes darting over the menu. Why'd he pick her to go first?! Did it mean anything? Oh what to choose! It couldn't be simple or cheap, then he'd see her as a simple bumpkin. But it couldn't be too expensive or sophisticated either. No body likes a stuck up aristocrat. If she ordered too little, she could be seen as being picky, but if she ordered too much, they'd get the idea she was a pig. Why?! Why?!

"Melody?" Werner asked the fidgeting doctor.

"I, um, I… I'll have what your having, Werner." Melody gave a fake smile. By Abram, nothing cornier could have passed her lips.

"Um, well, then I'll have the Angus sirloin." Werner looked to the waiter, who jotted it down, and then back to Melody. "I hope you like that."

"It-it sounds just fine." Melody gave a nervous laugh.

"Waiter, a trilobite tail covered in butter, with a steak of hodak, medium rare." Duran gave his order.

The waiter frowned as he jotted down Duran's order. "Ah, such a magnificent choice. The food will be ready in a short while." And thus, the waiter left.

Werner shook his head with a sly smile at Duran. "Responsibility is the key, Duran?"

"I didn't say starve like a pauper, Werner." Duran then looked to Melody. "I'm so sorry. You'll end up starving on such small amounts of vittles."

"It's really nothing to worry about. I'm happy with it." Melody said as meekly as ever.

"Well, um, Melody, could you tell us a little about yourself?" Werner asked, trying to push the meeting towards a productive goal.

Melody was a bit stirred by the question, but then recalled that this was also partly an interview. She had forgotten the business aspect entirely. "My name is Dr. Melody Vilente, and my licensed profession is virology." (Telling them something they already know? That was smart, Melody.) "I, um, I'm Twenty-six years old, and I was born November Eleventh, 1834." (Oh, go ahead. You're sounding like a telegram here.) "I was born in Twister City, Slayheim, and attended several prestige schools during my youth, graduating valedictorian from Jackson University. I work under the Filgaian Department of Health and Welfare, and my research is beneficial to the ailing economy and people of Slayheim's war torn areas." She sighed.

Werner glanced at her resume he had pulled from his own pocket. The paragraph was almost worded the exact same way. Either she had a one track mind or had an uncanny ability to memorize things. Honestly, Werner had no idea what his resume said. "Jackson University. How long ago did you graduate?"

"… A year and a half ago…" Melody uttered. She was so ashamed of being such a greenhorn in the professional field.

"A year and a half in the real world and you've already developed the genetic agent process. That's quite a feat." Duran said.

"Well, Margy helped a bit…" Melody gave a small smile.

"At that age, I think I was still following covered wagons as a cheap escort out in the frontier…" Werner whistled. "You've accomplished something all right."

"Th-thank you." Melody blushed.

"Oh that wasn't that long ago for you Werner. You're in your mid-thirties. That was a while for me." Duran eyed Werner with a playful eye. "Speaking of accomplishments, Ms. Melody, Dr. Enduro has said you dabble in nanootechnology…"

"That's NANOtechnology." Duran chuckled.

"Well, I know a bit about it. It's a bit of a hobby of mine." Melody stated. "It's not exactly a widely known practice."

"How true it is." Werner sighed. "Yet Yggdrassil relies heavily on the notion."

Melody was a bit surprised. "Yggdrassil uses nanotechnology?"

"Well, I think it does…" Werner thought.

"Can you describe nanotechnology to us, Ms. Melody? I hate to say it, but we're with the rest of the scientific community on the knowledge of this subject."

"Hmmm. Nanotechnology the use and development of machines that are small enough to fit and work within the body. Nanomachines don't operate as conventional machinery would, for example, a voting machine or a steam ship. Instead, they use the laws of the body in order to work." Melody began to explain.

"Laws of the body, Melody?" Werner raised an eyebrow in question.

"Things such as osmotic pressure, hormonal balance, synapses and electrical impulses, electrolytes, plasma movement, lymph paths, things like that. The type of nanotechnology really depends on what part of the body you wish to effect. For instance, you wish to correct a kidney stone. Well, we'd inject a nanomachine into the patient's ureter, above the stone. The machine would be designed specifically for use only with removing kidney stones, so it would be designed as a kind of microscopic jackhammer. When the nanomachine came into contact with the kidney stone, the machine would begin to vibrate so wildly that the stone would dissolve. When the job was done, the machine would simply pass through the ureter and out of the body. Nanotechnology is a very specific field." Melody explained.

"So what you're saying, Werner, is that Yggdrassil would launch a machine into Filgaia's ureter and help get rid of any planetary kidney stones?" Duran asked.

Werner laughed. "No, not at all. The coding of Yggdrassil mentions a launch protocol for several thousands of machines into the Leyline paths in Filgaia, deep underground. It sounded a bit to me like nanotechnology, if you apply the Filgaia Theory."

"Dr. Leehalt Alcestes' Filgaia Theory has an application with Yggdrassil?" Melody asked. "It would be an honor to work with him as a Council Member."

"Well, erm, Dr. Alceste isn't on the Council as of yet." Duran mentioned.

"Well I wouldn't call it 'his Filgaia Theory' anyhow. Obviously, the original designers of Yggdrassil knew it." Werner mumbled.

"… I'm sorry. I got excited." Melody apologized. How could she make her self look so stupid at the mere mention of a celebrity?

"It's no problem. It actually wouldn't be a bad idea to enlist Dr. Alceste as a member…" Duran forgave.

"Ixnay Duran. Ixnay." Werner mumbled. "Anyhow, would you know how nanotechnology could repair an overall injury?"

"Injury? What kind?" Melody replied.

"Pfft. I dunno." Werner sighed and looked up. "Overall fatigue, wearing down the body till near death."

Melody nodded and thought a moment before replying. "Well… I would have to say that in that case, a hormonal agent would be a more plausible choice. A pituitary exciting hormone would be recommended, so those extra amounts of adrenaline and epinephrine would stimulate the body. If it were a wound, I'd recommend a red bone cell hormone, in order to stimulate a faster production of platelets to seal off the wound. However, such a thing would be dangerous, as it could easily block off a vein and cause heart failure."

Werner looked to Duran, who shrugged. "Does Filgaia have a heart, or wounds at all?"

"The Den of Miasma and the gemstone caverns or two such sites." Duran answered. "From what I've read in Dr. Alceste's papers, the crystals there are scabs."

"Crystal scabs…" Melody wondered.

"Well, Elliot did say it was a silicon life form. I don't see why not." Werner shrugged.

"Scabs would indicate the presence of scar tissue and platelets." Melody spoke. "What kind of hormone would a planet use to recover?"

"Not one clue." Werner sighed.

"I think that a hormone inducing agent is out of the question." Melody spoke up. "Though a nanomachine answer could be possible. However, on a planetary scale, nano is hardly the adjective I'd use. You think there could be a physical ailment and not a chemical one?"

"I seriously have not a clue." Duran said. "My forte is conventional machinery and physics."

The waiter arrived, carrying the food upon a tray. He smiled a false smile as he set the food down.

"Well, let's eat!" Werner grinned.

"…Yes, let's!" Melody looked to Werner and smiled.

** *


	8. Acht

****

Two Days Later …August, 1860

Werner and Duran stood in their inn room, early in the morning, checking their pocket watches. Duran's things were in the process of being packed up while Werner's were ready to go. Duran stood in his usual attire, the brown overcoat over the button up, as did Werner (equipped with broad hat and rawhide coat.) The seconds were ticking away on their respective pocket watches. Duran's was gold plated, whereas Werner's was a dull bronze. The two were anxious to get whatever they were doing over with.

"You ready, Duran?" Werner asked cautiously.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Werner." Duran replied.

"All right then." Werner licked his teeth. "On three."

"One…" Duran started.

"Two…" Werner counted.

"THREE!" The two shouted as they both adjusted there pocket watches in sync with each other. The deed was done; the timing correct with each other.

"Well now. It would appear out pocket clocks have the exact time of each other. So, you can never say you're late again." Duran smiled.

"Neither you. Now, what time does our train leave?" Werner asked as he stashed his pocket watch away in his breast pocket.

"Not for a couple hours." Duran answered while placing a suit in its pack. "Leyline will most likely expect a report of our doings while we were gone."

"Expected, of course. It would be easier to move from here to our next candidate. We could avoid the red tape all together." Werner chuckled.

Duran stopped stuffing his suitcase on the top of his bed and looked to Werner. "Next candidate? My boy, are we even done with this one?"

"What? Melody?" Werner asked.

"Yes, Ms. Melody. We didn't come to a conclusion whether she would join or not."

"Yes, yes, I know. I plan on telling her the results before we board the train today." Werner sat himself down on the end of his bed. He took out his pocket watch and read the time. Five o seven, A.M.

"Well, do you plan on letting me know about your decision?" Duran faced Werner with all his attention.

"Why, you want to know?" Werner fidgeted with his watch.

"Of course! I'm a member of this appointing committee, too, you know?!" Duran growled.

"Huh, I thought you gave me the title, because you weren't good with people." Werner looked to the old scientist.

"Yes, I gave the job to you, but that doesn't mean that I'm out of the loop! I'm your advisor! If I don't play Devil's Advocate with you, then you'll never have the answers for Leyline, Berlitz, or the Senate!" Duran explained.

Werner looked to his shoes for a second. He had forgotten all about all of the people he would have to tear through to get the Council his way. "I'm sorry, old friend."

Duran calmed down a bit. He shook his head and spoke in a quieter voice. "So, what was your decision?"

Werner looked to Duran and stood up. "I decided to let her join. Like I said before, someone with nanotechnological experience is worth it." Werner then picked up his suitcase and began for the door.

"Hold on a minute." Duran stated as he closed his suitcase. "Where are you going at this dreadful hour?"

"To check out." Werner replied. "When did you plan on doing it?"

"Closer to departure." Duran responded. "Look, I want to head back to civilization as much as you do, but we can't leave in the dark like this. This is Slayheim, remember?"

Werner dropped his case near the wall and turned back. "…I guess your right. We'd save so much time if we could leave now."

"I know how it is." Duran sat himself down in a chair. "Now, let me do my job. Ms. Melody's primary field of expertise is in virology. Virology won't be of much use at Yggdrassil, will it?"

"The way she explained it, virology and nanotechnology seem to share a few traits. Having her as a guide to how nanotechnology works within a living being will be most useful." Werner answered.

"Yes, but do we even know that Filgaia is a living being? The Filgaia theory is still just a theory."

"All of Yggdrassil is based on the Filgaia Theory. If the Filgaia Theory doesn't apply, then all of Yggdrassil won't work."

"Well taken, but let's consider this. Dr. Enduro mentioned that Filgaia is a silicon life form and thus different from the biology we know today. How will virology and her use of nanotechnology help us in a field of something so radically different from everything they ever taught at Jefferson University?"

"We hired Elliot and Pete, didn't we? Their respective fields are in anatomy and genetic engineering."

"Ah. Strike one. Werner, don't defend yourself with a question. Dr. Enduro and Dr. Inkapalia haven't been formally approved yet either. And besides, we hired them to help with the power source, not the structure itself, if you'll recall."

Werner grumbled to himself and dropped himself onto the floor, where he placed a finger to his temple in thought, throwing off his hat. Duran smiled.

** *

****

One hour later…

Margy walked into the clinic office, carrying nothing but her purse. She placed the purse under the front desk and then checked into the duty machine and punched her card. With that done, she immediately began to dusting off the counters, sweeping, wiping, and over all other duties. If time would permit today, she'd get more reading done in her novel, "_Disaster Girl of the Wasteland_" while Dr. Vilente worked with her animals. She thought happy thoughts about this book, as she never was able to complete it at home with little Janus running amok, as she carried an armful of rags when she bumped into something. She fell to the floor, rags flying everywhere, and thoughts of the disaster Girl interrupted.

"Oh! What the hell?!" The large woman asked, rubbing her bottom.

"I'm so sorry Margy!" Came the unmistakable serene voice of Dr. Melody Vilente. She crouched down and lent a hand to the surprised nurse.

"Melody? What are you doing here so early? You don't normally get in till Seven…" Margy asked, surprised.

"Well, I wanted to see if I could get some work done early, you know what I mean." Melody looked up to Margy, who dusted herself off.

"Yea, well, I know you scientists enough. Gotta get that iodine inhibiting hormone finished before deadline, right?" Margy set to picking up the rags that were all over the dark wooden floor.

"Um, not exactly. …I was thinking about taking an extended break to see Werne- I mean, Dr. Maxwell." Melody confessed, rubbing her hands together.

A spark of interest appeared in Margy's eye as she formed a smile with those large deep red lips. "Dr. Maxwell huh? You certainly have gotten cozy with him lately. How'd that dinner go again?"

"Oh Margy." Melody blushed. "It was superb. At first I found myself panicking over every thing, but he didn't seemed to be bothered by what I was saying. We talked and laughed so much during dinner, and then there was yesterday back here. I think he may be the one!"

"I told you that it would happen." Margy smiled as she continued to walk. "I kept telling you that you'd find him, and you said you wouldn't a hundred times! And now look at you, smiling, cheerful, all a-glow! Reminds me when I first met my husband, the idiot."

Melody placed her hands behind her shyly and blushed at the comments. "I want to thank you Margy. If it weren't for you, I'd never have gotten this far. Really."

"Don't mention it hon." Margy placed the rags down in their designated spot, near the back door. Streams of sunlight were starting to pour within from the windows. Margy unlocked the door and opened it, leaving only a screen barrier from the outside. "It's what we girls do for each other, right?"

"Right." Melody nodded. She glanced out the screen, to the oncoming sun. Each passing day, the sun burned a little hotter and a little longer. Signs of the times, they said. Yet each day, the sun looked as beautiful as it ever did, especially this one. The sky was turning from a deep dark blue to a light pink as the sun slowly climbed into the sky from her ethereal bed.

"So, did you get the job?" Margy asked, readying several needles she had pulled from a cabinet.

"Huh?" Melody asked, not paying attention.

"The job?" Margy repeated, starting the oven so that she could boil equipment. "The one that Dr. Maxwell came all the way out here to ask you about?"

"The Council of Seven?!" Melody jumped, haven completely forgot about it.

"Yea, that's the one." Margy nodded in reply.

"I… I don't know…" Melody turned to the floor. It suddenly dawned on her that was the reason Dr. Werner Maxwell came to her, and she hadn't paid it any heed the entire time. She must have looked like a fool!

Margy looked a bit surprised as she started to boil water. She was silent for a moment, and then took a cigarette from her pocket and lit it in the wood burning stove. She took the first smoke of the day and exhaled, letting her gaze come to Melody, who was working herself up. "What? They tell you they'd contact you or something? I really hate it when employers do that. It's always no. Not to say you won't get the job hon, I'm just speaking from my own experiences."

"I'm a nominee for Council of Seven, the most honorable field in all the scientific community. It would be my job to help save this world and all the people in it. …You, Janus, Barry, Cormano, everyone…" Melody began speaking rather solemnly.

"It sounds like a big job." Margy replied, waiting for the needles to boil as she dropped them in. "A lot of responsibility to put on your shoulders. …Maybe… Maybe it's best that you don't take the job sweety…"

"What?" Melody asked, a little bit of shock in her quiet voice.

"Look hon, the weight of the world would be resting on your small, insecure shoulders. What would happen if you'd fail? I'd hate to see you in any kind of situation like that, Melody. You've got it good right here…" Margy explained.

"The weight of the world…" Melody thought for a moment. The hissing of the pot could be heard in the early morning air. "The world relies on my skills. I know they're not much, but- but even Werner said that Yggdrassil relies on nanotechnology, and who better to guide it than one who is proficient in nanotechnology?! If I'm not there, they all could fail due to a lack of my presence!"

Margy stood there, letting Melody's statement sink in. Melody stood staring at her, a blazing passion burning within those purple eyes. She had become so adamant about it in such a short time. Margy's lips formed a smile around the cigarette. "I see you've made up your mind then. Well, best of luck to you."

Melody's stare softened as she accepted Margy's gratitude. She shook her head. "And to you too, Margy."

"Heh. Would you look at us, saying our good byes now?! There's still a long way till you leave, right?" Margy asked.

"And a lot of work to be done. Let's get to work." Melody nodded, a new smile upon her face.

** *

****

Hours later, mid morning

The street was once again home to a few feet and a couple of hooves as people and their horses moved about. The whistle of a train's smokestack could be heard in the distance, far out in the fields of Slayheim. Duran checked out for the two as Werner walked out into the sun. It was yet another blue day. It had been nothing but blue days for weeks, almost two months. Another sign of the times, so they said. An ominous sign of how the world was going to end soon enough.

"Yet another blue, sunny day." Werner mentioned.

"Yes, yes indeed." Duran quipped as he stepped out of the "Honey of Roses". "We've been getting a lot of those recently. Sunny days for little girls and boys to play."

"If this keeps up, we're going to end up in another drought. The one we had last year was bad enough." Werner sighed. "Signs of the times, so they say."

"I wouldn't fret over it Werner." Duran started out in the road. "Somewhere out there, an enormous rain storm is gathering and soon enough she'll dump it all. Then you'll get your rain."

"Somehow I don't think your meteorology skills are credible, Duran." Werner laughed as he followed.

"I've read Poor Richard's Almanac for 1860. I know what the season will bring." Duran made a sarcastic joke. "But I do wonder how the weather has anything to do with Filgaia's health."

"Another topic to touch upon at future Council meetings, I suppose." Werner stated. The broad hatted man looked about, but found only a few men on the street. "Where is everyone, anyhow?"

Duran chuckled a bit at this. "Don't you know? Today is Sunday, and like all good Abramists, they've gone to church to hear the pastor read a sermon or two to save themselves from the eternal flames of hell."

"Sunday all ready." Werner shook his head, hardly believing it. "Well, you know what they say. Hell is reserved for sinners and government officials."

"Amen." Duran laughed. A second whistle of the train blew, indicating it's closer presence to the town. Duran looked off into the direction of the piercing whistle, and then turned back to Werner. "Ah, there's our train. We'd better start moving."

"The train so soon? Where is Melody?" Werner looked to the direction of the clinic.

"What's that you say?" Duran asked, not hearing Werner's words. "We really can't waste too much more time. Who knows when the next train will come?"

"I promised Melody I'd meet her before we left. I told her I have something very important to tell her." Werner told the old man.

"The decision?" Duran asked. Werner nodded. "You couldn't possibly mail her a letter with it, could you?"

Werner gave Duran an evil eye. "I plan on keeping my promise."

Duran sighed. "The effects of a charming lady."

** *

A Cannon Buffalo snorted as it blinked it's round black eyes in the round cement room. The latex gloves gave a discomforting snap as Melody removed them from her hands. She adjusted her goggles and looked to Margy, who stood a bit away with a notepad in one hand in pen in the other. Margy nodded as she checked off the last item.

"That was the last one. They've all passed the health inspection." Margy drew in a breath of smoke.

"Yes, but I'm worried about this one. She seems to be carrying a few extra pounds lately." Melody roughly removed the goggles from her face as she stood up, turning away from the resting blue reptile.

"Maybe she's eating a little too many twin tails. Being held in a little pen won't exactly burn off all the extra luggage." Margy suggested, waving the cigarette between her fingers.

"Well, according to the records, she's been receiving the same amount as the others. She could be having a reaction to something…" Melody thought, swiftly glancing over her shoulder at the resting creature. The Cannon Buffalo snorted in reply.

"Maybe she's pregnant." Margy shrugged. "We let them into the outdoor pen unchecked. It's a possibility."

"Cannon Buffalo don't breed in captivity." Melody ran the thought through her mind. "We've always had to import ours."

"There's a first for everything." Margy gave a sly smile. "Like you and the Dr."

Melody leaped up, completely forgetting about her appointment. "Oh Abram! Margy! What time is it?!"

Margy nonchalantly pulled on the pocket watch that was tied to the clipboard by its chain. She glanced at it, making out the time from the two hands. "About ten thirty."

"Oh Abram! I'm gonna be late!" Melody looked frantic, panic setting into her veins. "Margy! Close this up will you?! I need to run!"

"By myself?!" Margy asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. "We've always needed two people to move this things!"

"I'm so sorry! I'll be back! Thanks!" Melody shouted as she ran out the door, her goggles and gloves still on the concrete floor.

Margy was open-jawed as she watched the woman fly out the door. The two ton animal reared onto its hind legs and scratched its side with a clawed leg as it too watched her go.

** *

Melody ran out into the dusty street, her hair a mess and a complete lack of make up. She was still in her lab coat as she saw Werner, impatiently waiting in the street for her. Duran was no where to be seen. The harsh cries of a train whistle were piercing the sky. Werner had suitcases near him. What did this mean? Was he leaving all ready? No! It couldn't be?! Melody shook her head to dismiss such thoughts and ran to catch up with the broad hatted one.

Werner stepped toward her as Melody came running. However, her high-heeled shoes caught onto a rock, sending her falling to the ground. She braced herself for a high speed crash into the dirt road, but found herself avoiding the situation all together. Werner had caught her, and she looked into his face. He looked into hers for a moment, blushed, and set the woman up right again, dusting off her shoulders.

"Nearly hit the road on that one, Melody." Werner remarked light-heartedly.

"I-I guess I did. Thank you." Melody smiled.

"Hey, um, I have something I need to tell you." Werner looked into her shaken purple eyes.

"Yes, I know." Melody spoke softly. They had only met two days ago. Was he confessing some kind of love? Maybe they would start dating? Oh it was something big she knew it!

"Well, um, I guess you would. All right, here." Werner produced from his pocket an envelope. He reached for Melody's hand and pressed it into hers. She blushed at the gesture and looked at the red envelope. "This is for you."

"For me?" Melody whispered.

"I really think you're the one." Werner smiled and nodded.

"…The …one?" Melody repeated, a sort of boundless hope building in her eyes. She looked into Werner's face. He seemed glowing with some emotion.

"Open it. You deserve it." Werner stated.

"A-all right. I will!" Melody carefully opened the red, clean envelope with excitement. Inside was a white piece of paper, of a high caliber. Upon it's clean surface was bright black text, written in a fancy cursive. She read the first line, a bright smile on her face. "To Dr. Melody Vilente…" Her eyes darted back over the text below. It was formal, fancy, and expressive. But it wasn't what she was hoping for. Not at all. The smile had disappeared, and the excitement gone. She finished the letter and looked to Werner, seeking some kind of answer. "…I've been accepted into the Council of Seven…"

"You have all the talents required. We'll need your help more than ever, Melody." Werner beamed.

"…Yes…" Melody uttered, the impact hitting her. It wasn't the love letter she had some how expected. I was ridiculous to think it was going to be so, but she had her hopes up anyway. Finally, there was a man who took her seriously, and it appeared he wasn't even interested…

"All you need to do in sign the paperwork." Werner pulled out a few sheets of legal work. "That is, if your willing to take the position. You will take it, won't you?"

"Oh of coarse!" Melody hopped up, defending herself again. "There's nothing more that I'd ever want! This has been a goal of mine for a long time!" A lie.

"That's always good to hear." Werner smiled. The train whistled once more, and the black serpent finally pulled into the station down the street. Duran was down there, and he was probably having a fit at this moment. Werner searched the train with his eyes, and then back to Melody. "There's my train. You'll mail those back to me, won't you?"

"Train? Y-you're leaving all ready? You've been here only three days!" Melody asked, surprised.

"I need to get back to Leyline and fill out papers and get on with the hiring process. I'd love to stay longer, but I got to go. It's my job." Werner stated.

"But what about… but what about us!? When will we see each other again?" Melody asked, sadness taking hold invisibly.

"We'll meet again soon enough. We're members of the Council of Seven. We'll be spending years with each other soon enough. We're friends I'd suppose, and we'll meet again rather soon." Werner patted Melody on the shoulder.

"Years together…" Melody thought. "Yes! We are on the Council of Seven! Aren't we?!" Melody found a new hope.

"Yes. Well, here's to tomorrow." Werner outstretched his hand, obviously expecting a handshake.

Melody met it, a new determination in her soul. "Til tomorrow."

"See you then." Werner picked up his suitcase after their hearty shake and started off towards the station. He looked over his shoulder as he walked, seeing Melody stand there, waving him off. Once he had boarded the train, Melody stood there, hands clasped over her heart, holding the envelope between them.

"See you then." She repeated softly to herself.

** *


	9. Neun

****

Three Weeks Later… September, 1860

It was raining, as Duran had predicted it would. The skies were eerily dark while lightning flashed and thunder clapped in the great skies above. Thus was the liberating setting to a dying grassland world. However, despite how starved the world was for rain, it made an eerie feeling creep about the coats of Werner Maxwell and Dr. Duran Feld as they rode in a horse drawn carriage through the lonely, desolate rocky mountain paths that lead to the Little Rock Asylum for the Clinically Insane. It was a tall, large building of the archaic gothic design, resembling something of an ancient castle sitting atop a cliff's edge, overlooking the restless sea below. It was nightfall, and only a few of the lights could be seen through the windows of the place. What force could ever drive a man to this place of restless minds and lunacy was beyond all comprehension.

The ceaseless toil of the rain sloshed about the carriage exterior, creating a constant noise. The carriage rolled back and forth as the horses' lead it up the mountain path, sending the pool of light created by the swinging lantern to shine upon one end of the carriage and then the next. Werner had to read his notes in short spurts as he awaited the shine for the lantern to come upon him, whilst Duran smoked his cherry wood pipe in content.

"Seems like something out of a dime novel, eh Werner?" Duran finally broke the long silence.

"A stormy night as a carriage raced a long the lonely mountain path to an insane asylum? It would appear so." Werner replied as the light left him.

"Yes, I thought so as well." Duran continued to inhale the cherry flavored smoke. "What Abram-awful mind would rest in a house such as the one we are about to come upon?" 

"The brilliant mind of one Dr. Malik Benedict." Werner responded, quickly snatching a sentence while the light shone upon his notes.

"I still advise against this, Werner. We already have a member who has a history of short spurts of insanity. Why must we have two?"

"Because, Dr. Benedict's forte is archaic technology. Yggdrassil would be right up his ally. No other mind of Filgaia knows what his does."

"That is what I'm worried about. There's a reason why people are locked up in places such as these! Have you ever been to a Sylvaland insane asylum before? These people are much more like the beasts out in the wild then human beings. First it was an anti-Filgaian state and now a loon house. Sometimes I think you're trying to kill us, Werner. Sometimes I really do…"

"…And sometimes I believe your nothing more than a paranoid old man, Duran. According to these records, He admitted himself in. If that's the case, than I don't think there's anything to worry about."

"How so?"

"Crazy people don't actually believe there crazy, Duran. Only those who can't make sense of their lives anymore sign themselves in."

Duran thought for a moment, taking in a breath of cherry. "Still, I'm sure it could be worse. At least it isn't an institute for the criminally insane."

"If it were, we wouldn't have time to fetch him. He'd be a mindless lab rat by the time we got there." Werner replied.

"There you go with your liberal thinking again…" Duran chuckled a bit. "Still, of all the people…"

Thunder continued to roll across the skies and the rain did continue to fall as the carriage rolled through the twin iron gates and the several armed guards that stood by. The carriage horses trotted to the front steps and stopped, allowing the horse driver to hop off and attend to the carriage door. He opened the door as lightning flashed outside, illuminating the great dark asylum before them. Duran, being closest the door, swallowed and fetched the umbrella from underneath his seat. He hadn't brought anything with him, as it was only a one-day excursion. It least, that's how it was planned. The mountain pass proved much more difficult to traverse in the rain, and nightfall had overcome them much sooner than originally anticipated. But details, aside, Duran thrust open the umbrella out the door and was helped down by the horseman. Duran was old, and needed help every now and then. Werner hopped out quickly, stuffing his notes in his coat pocket and allowing the broad rawhide beaten up hat to take the rain for him. The horseman shook their hands as he received payment and began and wished the men the best of luck. Duran watched him climb back up the carriage and snap the reigns, indicating that the horses were leaving. They wouldn't be back until sometime the next day.

"Well, here we are." Duran stated, pushing his pipe back into his breast pocket.

"Indeed. Let's go in…" Werner then began walking up the large stone staircase before the magnificent building, leaving Duran in the courtyard for a moment to ponder the consequences. Duran was about to make one last protest before a large searchlight powered on and began searching the courtyard, along with the barks of several ruthless dogs. That was all that was needed to motivate Dr. Feld to climb those stairs and catch up with his buddy.

The vestibule didn't provide too much comfort from the eerie mood. The floor was of a black and white checkerboard pattern, and had apparently been devoid of a good sweep in some time, as caked mud and dust sat about her unchecked. The walls arched up, as if in a cathedral, disappearing into a blackness that was shown only when lightning flashed outside the barred, colorless windows high atop the walls. A front desk sat a way away, down a small flight of stairs and through a pair of armed guards, who sat on chairs half-asleep. The maniacal cries and sheer laughs of the insane not only were made prevalent through the architecture, but were heard from the dark recesses of the room. Several iron doors lined the walls, all leading into different hallways to different wings. Werner was a bit unnerved, but would not allow it to show. What he sought could be found here, and he wouldn't sway from his course due to a bit of paranoia.

"Werner! Duran!" Came an all too familiar voice. The two scientists looked to their right and down the small flight of stairs to see little miss Koge running up to them. "I see you've made it!"

"Koge? By Abram, what on Filgaia are you doing here?" Werner asked, a bit shocked.

"Dr. Enduro sent me after you. He said he didn't want any kind of harm to come across you through- and I quote- the diabolical tongues of the staff." Koge bowed as she reached them.

"It would appear Elliot has had a run in with this place before…" Werner smiled.

"Perhaps it would be best if we didn't speak of Elliot anymore here. It already unnerves me so just to think of gaining one mentally unstable member…" Duran's eyes darted back and forth as he slipped on his spectacles. He would be on his guard.

"Duran, your lack of faith in the human race always makes me smile." Werner patted his friend on the shoulder. "Koge, do you know where the headmaster is? He was supposed to meet us, but we ran a bit late due to the storm."

Koge put a finger to her lip in thought and replied happily. "Ah, the headmaster should be at his office! We could summon him by talking to the people at the front desk!" Koge turned behind her, but found the front desk lacking any kind of staff at the moment. "Or not…"

"I don't know about you." Duran cleared his throat. "But I, for one, am not very keen on the idea of wandering these halls aimlessly in this hour of the night."

"Yes, it wouldn't be very smart, would it?" Werner thought.

Koge trotted off a bit to the half asleep guard, sitting in the chair, Springfield in his hands. She gently nudged him until he came to. "Excuse me sir, but do you know where the headmaster is?"

"Ah shit. I fell asleep again…" The guard cursed as he stood up, stretching. "Hey Tom! Wake up!" The guard shouted to the other guard sitting across from him.

"I'm up, I'm up." Tom groaned as he awoke.

"The Headmaster?" The first guard thought for a moment, answering Koge's question. "I'll summon him for you." The guard walked over to the front desk, where a panel of several buttons sat. They were all telephone wires that connected to different parts of the building. He pressed a certain one, knowing that on the other side of the line, a buzzer was going off. He looked to Koge and rubbed his eyes. "He should be here any moment."

'Any moment', as the guard has said, turned into several long moments, one half-hour worth of those moments. Duran, Werner, and Koge sat on the dirty vestibule steps, awaiting the man in question. Koge had fallen asleep herself, being a terrible hour in the night, and Duran was about to doze off to until they heard a door open. Werner looked up to see a man walking the second floor balcony, coming to a staircase that lead down into the large room. He was a middle-aged man, somewhere around fifty, with the remnants of blonde hair and green eyes. He had a square chin and a tight frown, most likely a result from his line of work. He was dressed in a black suit with a white bow tie and walking stick. An armed guard walked with him. Werner shook Duran, alerting the old scientist, as well as waking up Koge. The three stood up as the man came to greet them.

The man's frown turned into a small smile as he extended a hand to Werner for a handshake. "I'm so sorry for this. I guess I fell asleep. I thought you'd be here sooner."

"Well, we were supposed to, before the storm hit." Werner replied. "I'm Dr. Werner Maxwell, from the Committee to recruit members for the Council of Seven."

_"I was never aware we had such a name…"_ Duran thought to himself.

"Ah, yes. I'm Dr. Mattias Benedict, Ph.D, and headmaster of this institution. At least you arrived safely. I know these mountain passes can be tricky for the unacquainted." The man introduced himself.

"That is the purpose for these paths, to keep the patients in the area, am I correct?" Duran asked as he received Mattais' hand.

"Correct. And you must be Dr. Duran Feld?" Mattias asked.

"Correct Doctor." Duran smiled.

"I knew your wife, a lady Tiffany Bryant. How is she doing these days?" Mattias tapped his walking stick against the floor.

"We've been divorced for some fifteen years, as I wouldn't have a clue." Duran looked at the muddy floor.

"…I'm terribly sorry. Please accept my apologies."

"Oh there's nothing to worry about." Duran gave a false smile. "What's done is done. We should get to business."

"Yes, that we should." Mattias agreed. "But first, who is this charming young lady?" Mattias asked as he glanced at Koge. The girl stood silent, as when this happened with Dr. Enduro, it was always he who introduced her.

"…She is Koge, our assistant." Werner introduced the girl. "Now, is it too late to meet your son, Malik?"

Koge was relieved that the attention had left her. She wasn't fond of this man for some strange reason. Mattias turned to Werner, tapping his cane. "Not at all! He's been eagerly awaiting your arrival! But first, let me give you a tour of the institution! We here at Little Rock Asylum for the Mentally Impaired are quite proud of it. At one time in history, this building was a castle for the great Lord Benjamin Blazer!"

"He was insane himself too, was he not?" Werner raised an eyebrow.

"Well, some say he went insane, and others believe it otherwise. It really is up to the historian to decide." Mattias nodded. "But I can safely say that he is not here anymore. This castle became a possession of the government after the Sylvaland Acquisition about a hundred years ago, but during the Slayheim Liberation attempt, the government sold it to us back in 1841."

"This is all incredibly fascinating, but I would at least like to wait for morning to take a tour of the castle, if you don't mind." Duran interrupted.

Mattias raised a thin eyebrow. "You can rest assured, Dr. Feld, that our patients won't attack you in the dark. We have our staff of nurses on call twenty-four hours a day, as well as plenty of armed guards and dogs. No one has escaped from this institution in well over thirteen months!"

Mattias' gesture didn't seem to work, as Duran was still very much unnerved. Werner stepped forward. "If you please, Mattias, we'd simply like to speak with Malik. That was the reason we've come so far."

Mattias seemed taken aback by this. His eyes narrowed a bit and he tapped his white walking stick once more. "All right. If that is how it is, then so be it. I will show you the way."

"Thank you." Werner promptly thanked the man. He could tell that he had somehow offended him, but he wasn't here for charity or to bring federal funds. He was here to speak to Malik, and that was that.

** *

Mattias was an easily angered man, and revenge was often a dish he served. And so it was that he personally led them, along with his armed escorts, through the most dangerous hall he could possible think of. The hall was dark and narrow, and the inhabitants thoroughly and dangerously insane. It appeared more along the lines of a prison than of any sort of medical institution, where men and women, incredibly ill and deformed, braced themselves against the iron bar doors, reaching between the bars and attempting to grasp and claw those who walked the halls. The guards repeatedly beat the hands back with the butts of their rifle class ARMs, increasing the shrieks and moans that echoes throughout the hallway.

Duran was on the verge of going crazy himself with fright. He clutched onto Werner, who walked before him. "Are you SURE this is the only way?!"

"Quite positive, Dr. Feld." Mattias replied, not showing any signs of emotion as his guards continued to keep him free of insane hands.

"Is Malik in this kind of shape?" Werner asked, thoroughly disgusted by the human beings he saw trying to touch him.

Thunder boomed across the heavens outside, adding to the shrieks and moans. "Malik is nowhere near this kind of shape, Dr. Maxwell."

Koge shrieked herself as a hand clawed at her uniform, trying to tear it away. Werner and Duran grabbed onto her, keeping her away as the guards beat the pair of hands into submission. Werner looked into Koge's frightened eyes. "Are you O.K, Koge?"

"Yea. Let's just get out of here." Koge panted.

Mattias smiled.

** *

It was through several more of these halls and events that Mattias lead them to a staircase, taking them down from the levitated heights of the castle to the bottom, more moderate floors. They reached what appeared to be a penned in meeting room, a short table with several chairs around it, surrounded by wire fencing. A nurse unlocked the door as Koge and Duran stepped in. Werner stood out for a moment, wishing to speak with Mattias Benedict.

"Mattias, what exactly is wrong with Malik?" Werner asked. Werner had read his records and knew, but for some reason he wanted to know what his own father would say.

Mattias looked around a bit before answering. He sighed and looked at Werner. "Malik suffers from severe adult depression syndrome. He's attempted suicide more than once and has cases of self-mutilation. He's obsessed with death and the process of dying. …He admitted himself to our institution some three or four years ago. He was a very remarkable scientist, a leader in his field. But he began to break down until he found he could no longer work…"

"I'm no psychiatrist." Werner began, pulling out his notes from his pocket. "But his records also sate a case of adult Oedipus complex. His mother died in the war twenty years ago, am I right?"

"…Yes…" Mattias looked to the floor.

"Well then, is it correct to assume all of these conditions stemmed from the loss of his mother? Was his mother very close to him at a young age?"

"Why don' you ask him for yourself." Mattias looked to Werner once more. "Here he comes." He pointed his walking stick down the hall, and Werner glanced in the direction.

A guard was escorting what appeared to be a young man, most likely in his mid to late twenties. His hair, like his father, was blonde, and his eyes an emerald green. His skin was fair and he was wrapped in white, baggy clothes, most likely a patient uniform. His expression was a smile that most women would simply adore. A bit of a mystery indeed for one clinically diagnosed with severe depression.

"Well, I suppose it's time you start your meeting." Mattias tapped his walking stick against the wire mesh of the pen. Werner nodded and stepped inside, taking a seat as Malik was brought in. One guard walked in as well as the other two locked it and stood guard. Mattias began to walk away, leaving Duran a bit confused.

"And you must be Dr. Werner Maxwell!" Malik smiled as he leaned in his chair. "The all-too famous recruiter for the Council of Seven! Now, what brings you here to my humble abode?"

It was hard to tell if Malik was joking with them or being quite serious. He had a drugged up look in his eyes. This caused Werner to raise his own eyebrows. "That I am. And you're Dr. Malik Benedict, archeology and physics."

"That I am, that I am. Or was. As you can see now, I'm as crazy as a critter!" Malik propped his feet up across the end of the table.

"Normally, people hold high esteem for the Council, and being considered for a position is a huge honor." Duran stated, clasping his hands together.

Malik reached into his pant pockets and retrieved an envelope. It was the letter that the Leyline Committee had sent several weeks' back, one letter of introduction and news of consideration. "It is a huge honor, Dr. Feld, but I can safely tell you that I am no longer am able to work. I am 'clinically depressed' and am not suitable for the real world."

"What makes you think this?" Werner asked, leaning closer to Malik.

Malik shifted his weight in the chair, taking his legs down and leaning in on Werner. "Because it's what my records say."

Werner looked to Duran, who shrugged in reply.

"Your records say you can't work outside this asylum?" Koge asked. "That's ridiculous."

"On the contrary." Malik smiled. "We live in a world ruled by records. Red tape, treaties, papers, laws, bills, passes, riders, committees, sub-committees, senates, and houses! Our entire existence depends on our papers, and if our papers are to become smudged with such trivial things as 'clinically depressed' then we are no longer fit to live in such a fabricated world, then we are sifted out from society and into asylums and penitentiaries."

"But you can still work out side?! It's not over until you say it's over." Koge stated.

"You headed the Welles Island Research Center, did you not?" Duran asked.

"Welles Island. I sure did. The place where we studied all of the findings of the other Council's. That place sure was great…" Malik replied.

"Why did you quit, then?" Koge asked. "Why did you admit yourself here if it was so great?"

"Because of your own pet project, right?" Werner asked.

Malik raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know about that?"

"I was sure to interview several of the other department heads at Welles Island." Werner said as he put down several papers on the table. "Your pet project eventually drove you to a nervous break down."

"Pet project?" Duran asked. "Werner, if we are to be a team, you should at least tell me the information you find."

"What are you talking about Werner." Koge asked.

"Malik, maybe it would help you if you told us. You practically built Welles Island by your own hands…" Werner looked to the blonde man.

"Yes… yes I did." Malik put a hand to his chin in thought. "Welles Island was a data analysis center, where researchers would process the thousands and thousands of notes that the other thirty three Councils had created. We would analyze, identify, and sort the notes depending on their usefulness and category. This is where almost everything known about Yggdrassil comes from."

":And then you'd know almost everything about Yggdrassil yourself…" Duran theorized.

"Yes. That's true. However, one day, I came upon a remarkable piece of information. It was a system that worked off memories, the Yggdrassil power system. However, I theorized it could have other potentials besides power. Such as bringing back memories for those who have lost theirs due to Alzheimer's, accidents, or…" Malik trailed off.

"Death." Werner stated.

"Death?" Koge questioned.

"Yes, death." Malik sighed. "You see, my mother was a saint. My father was always away on business, so therefore, my mother and I were always together, alone. She was pure, innocent, untainted. So saintly was she that she volunteered to be a nurse in the Slayheim War. She was killed from a stray cannonball. I… I was a young boy, all alone in the world, with nothing left. Years later, after I had gone through school and the universities, I found myself establishing Welles Island with a grant from the government. I enlisted the top scientists to aid me with my research analysis. That is when I found the memory program. From there, I used Dr. Enduro's cloning system to bring back my mother. I'd save her from the icy fingers of the afterlife, pull her from death's cold grip!"

"By Abram…" Duran whispered.

"Yes, it wall going well. Until I attempted to use the memory system to restore her memories. But it wouldn't work. No, nothing worked. I tried and tried again, using my own brain waves as a power source, but nothing would work! That is when I so called 'went mad' and destroyed my laboratory and admitted myself here. I no longer wish to think of my mother, just the life she gave me." Malik finished.

"Malik, I believe we have a use for you, and it's only you that can help Yggdrassil work. We can clear your records and get you on the team, where you can fulfill your potential that your mother gave you." Werner said.

"So I can save the world? So I can save the feuding forces that dwell upon this planet, only to destroy more lives as they come? Why would I wish to do that?" Malik replied.

"… Because that's what your mother did. She believed in people, so she went to try and save them." Koge said.

Malik was quiet for a bit. "My mother was a saint… and now you say I should follow her path, and help people?"

"Only the Council of Seven can save Filgaia and everyone on it…" Koge stated.

"I don't believe your mother would approve of your current life, wasting away in your own misery. You should do something with your life and help people." Werner smiled.

"…All right. If you can get me out of this place, then I'm your man." Malik grinned.

"Your knowledge will be most useful." Werner grinned back.

"Werner, a moment please." Duran beckoned. Werner leaned over to Duran, who began whispering. "I'm sure his knowledge of Yggdrassil's systems is quite amazing, but are you sure that a man with so many mental disturbances can lead a department of men and women to save Filgaia?"

"I'm quite sure." Werner whispered back.

"What will the Leyline Committee say? Berlitz worked at Welles Island himself. We have to get approval from him as well, and he may not have fond memories of Malik." Duran continued.

"This isn't something personal. He'll get over it." Werner continued as well. "I have faith in him."

Duran sighed. "I'm glad someone does. But still, how do you propose battling the senate?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there…" Werner smiled and patted his friend on the shoulder. "We'll be fine."

"I certainly hope so." Duran adjusted his glasses.

"Well? What's the consensus?" Malik smiled.

Duran cleared his throat. "A man of your…'talents' would be greatly appreciated. As far as I'm concerned…" Duran glanced to Werner. "I'm for it."

"Thanks a lot Dr. Feld." Malik grinned. "I'll be as useful as I can."

"Is that it?" Koge asked.

Werner shifted through the paperwork on the table, looking for a certain one. Pleased, he pulled it out and presented it before Malik. "All you need to do is sign this."

"Shouldn't we clear him from this asylum first?" Duran asked.

"We're the government, right? What we says goes." Werner winked to his friend.

"If only it were that easy…" Duran mumbled.

Malik finished signing his name. Dr. Malik Benedict. "I feel… like I'm opening a new chapter in my life."

"I think it's the same for all of us." Werner nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we should retire for the night."

"Thank Abram. Who knows what hour it is?" Duran moaned.

The guards unlocked the door as Werner stood up. Koge bowed before Malik before leaving as Duran exited. Malik placed his feet atop the table and reclined in his chair. He had a good feeling.

"We'll be back." Werner said before leaving.

"That you will, doctor." Malik nodded.

** *


	10. Zehn

****

One Week Later… Mid September, 1860

The sun had decided to shine once more outside the rocky mountainous passes of Little Rock. The rain had stopped a few days gone, and the sky was still a bit cloudy. However, the warmth of the land had decreased a bit, and often a chilly wind would blow. The miners of Little Rock greeted these somewhat cold winds with welcome, as the coal pits they dug through were warm enough already.

Little Rock was a small town on the borders of Sylvaland, nestled between the ebbing sea and the high, mineral reach peaks that stretched around her borders. The people of this town were of three breeds. They were either miners, house wives, or in training for one or the other. Though the town itself was somewhat small (consisting of several unpaved roads and homely businesses), the industrial influence was not. Train yards for as long and wide as the eye could see lay where they could, filling with train cars that were themselves being filled with coal or another kind of valuable mineral. There was at least always one train sitting upon the rails, being served upon. The people were busy, happy, and healthy.

It was upon one of these rails that Werner found himself walking along, his leather boots stepping upon the gravel stones that were to be found between the wooden planking and the rail itself. He could see the boxcars roll beside him and the workers in their blue denim overalls and scarves doing maintenance. Werner was waiting for something, eagerly anticipating an unseen move from an unseen force. He had been staying in this town, Little Rock, for about one week, much longer than he had anticipated, in the Rolling Stone inn. Werner's thoughts were unexpectedly interrupted as a high-pitched whistle pierced the air. Those brown eyes under the rim of the broad rimmed hat gazed up to see a slowly oncoming train. Werner stepped to the side as the train slowly pulled into the yard. It was a postal train, the one that he was so eagerly awaiting for. So much, in fact, that Werner then began to trot along side the train, coming to match the engine car.

"Have you any mail in these cars?" Werner shouted.

The trainman looked down from the high window of the engine car to the man walking alongside. "Of coarse we do, son! This here IS a postal train!"

Werner laughed at his own idiocy and shouted once more. "Have you any letters from the Federal Government!?"

"All sorts. Bills, evictions, notices, summons, you take your pick." The old conductor smiled through a white mustache.

Werner was seeing this was going no where. It was a postal car carrying hundreds, if not thousands, of letters. His was just one, and he'd most likely have to wait at the post office to gain it. "How long will it take for the post to sort all of this through?"

The trainman pulled on his mustache in thought. "Well boy, if you want to get to this letter of yours so bad, why don't you climb aboard and pick it out yourself?"

"Isn't that illegal?" Werner asked, interested in the proposition.

"Only if you open someone else's mail. Now are you gonna walk along the rail all day or hop on?"

Werner did just that, grabbing hold of the car and hoisting himself aboard the slow moving vehicle…

"It arrived!" Werner shouted as he came through the double swinging doors of the Rolling Stone Inn. The inn was particularly empty at this moment, save a man wiping some shot glasses at the desk and Duran, who was sitting by a small table reading the Daily Gazette.

"What's here?" Duran asked, not bothering to tear his eyes away from the Horse Races written in the paper.

Duran found the article ripped away from him when Werner folded the newspaper over so that he could see the spectacle clad old man. "The letter from Leyline."

Duran sighed and took the paper away from Werner, folding it over as Werner took a seat. "Leyline is it? I was thinking it would have been from Jolly Roger…"

"The letter may have gone through the Leyline offices last before coming to us. We are, after all, Leyline employees." Werner added.

"Yes, yes. Well, what did it say? Are we leaving yet?" Duran asked with a bit more enthusiasm than he had originally greeted his partner with.

"I don't know. I haven't opened it yet." Werner produced the manila colored envelope from a pocket and looked at it.

"Good Abram man! Why not?" Duran asked.

I was thinking about what you said earlier. That we both are members of the recruiting committee…" Werner smiled.

"So we both have to be present whenever an envelope needs to be opened?" Duran raised a white eyebrow.

"Exactly." Werner grinned. "Say… where's Koge gone to?"

"I haven't the foggiest Werner. It is but only eleven in the morning. For all I know, she could still be asleep." Duran shrugged.

"Remind me to never leave Virginia with you, Duran…" Werner sighed.

"Well, are we going to just continue jabbering the day away or are you going to open the letter?" Duran suddenly changed the subject.

"Fine, fine." Werner tore open the side of the envelope and lifted it so that the papers inside gently fell out and onto the table. Werner then placed the envelope down and picked up the paper and began to scan.

Duran looked to the younger man, his eyes awaiting the result. "Well? What does it say?"

Werner sighed. "It says that the Government won't pull Malik out of the institution without approval of the institution itself."

"Thus is government ruled by the governed… For one, I don't think Dr. Benedict senior is going to allow his son out…" Duran sputtered.

"And why not?" Werner asked, though he felt the same way inside.

"Last week, when we first went to that Abram-awful place, we hurt his pride by not taking that little tour." Duran replied.

"How? It was just a little tour…" Werner grumbled.

"I feel up for a little lunch, what say you Werner?" Duran asked, his mind obviously somewhere else. "We can speak of this then."

Lunch was served on a paper plate with a paper cup, outside upon a wooden bench. The two ha decided to dine at "Andy's Barbecue and Chicken", a little shack that served up exactly what it advertised. Picnic tables consisted of the dining area, and absolutely no one besides dirty miners could be seen, save two government officials by the names of Duran and Werner.

Duran was getting funny looks from the surrounding miners as he sawed away at his chicken leg with a rusty knife. "Well, how is that…"

"Barbecue." Werner responded as he finished chewing a piece of the messy barbecue sandwich. It was not difficult to tell who had picked the dining spot. "And it's good."

"Huh. You could never tell that was once an ork." Duran stated right before slipping a piece of chicken into his mouth.

"I think that's the point." Werner said. "Only with seafood should you be able to tell what you're eating. But any ways, this presents a problem."

"The barbecue?" Duran asked.

"No, Malik's predicament. According to the law, you cannot be dismissed until the Institution says you are safe to enter society once more."

"And the Government doesn't really care enough for this individual to demand he be freed."

Werner turned behind him to see two miners start playing a guitar and the other a whistle, starting a small tune that the other miners knew only as the self titled "TOWN04". The scientist continued to chew on his sandwich until it was done. "If Mattias doesn't want his son out, then there's nothing we can do."

"You could try taking it to court, Werner." Duran replied. "Though chances are that we wouldn't win."

"Breaking him out wouldn't get us far either…" Werner put a hand to his chin.

Duran nearly spat out the water he was drinking upon hearing Werner's remark. "We certainly aren't doing that. I'm not sure what this is about. Mattias could be simply having his revenge for our not taking the tour, or he really does want to keep Malik in the nut house."

"I still don't understand why that would matter. We didn't wish to take the tour. It was late of night and we had pressing matters."

"Werner, by not taking his tour, we clearly stated we didn't wish to see the place. That in turn says we're not interested in it at all, which comes down to the fact that we weren't going to be getting any federal assistance for it." Duran explained. "It's all about money."

"It couldn't be just about the money. Malik is his own son. There has to be something else." Werner rationalized.

"Well." Duran said while sticking a piece of the chicken leg upon his fork. "Where'd you originally address the letter to?"

Werner thought for a moment, wondering how this had any relevance. "Leyline Bureau of Affairs, why?"

"That would explain why it had came from Leyline. You do realize that the Leyline Bureau of Affairs and the Federal Bureau are not connected in any way, do you not?" Duran explained while eating a piece of chicken.

Werner seemed a bit puzzled. "I was thinking that they were one and the same…"

Duran swallowed the finely carved bit of poultry before speaking his turn. "Not at all. Leyline is a private organization. The government only allows federal aid, so it would make sense that Leyline wouldn't be able to aid you in releasing Malik."

Werner sighed, taking a sip of the water set before him. "Shit… this means I'll have to send away another letter and we'll wait yet another week."

Duran chuckled a bit, giving Werner a mischievous look. "I wouldn't say that."

Werner raised an eyebrow, curious as to what his old friend may have come up with. "You wither have a plan or you're going senile, Duran. Both I'll believe."

"I have my uses Werner." Duran smiled. "The day after we finished our first conversation with Malik, while you were busy preparing all of the legal work dealing with his eligibility in the Council, I sent a letter to Senator Kaze, Congressman Hill, and Berlitz Lee. You hadn't sent yours in until a few days later."

"Kaze, Hill, and Berlitz… I'm impressed Duran. You seem to know a lot of people." Werner grinned.

"Not so much Kaze and Hill, but when you've been in the field as long as I've been, you meet a few people. Berlitz knows the Senate all too much, being a politician and representative for the Federal R&D department himself." Duran admitted.

"Thank Abram for that." Werner laughed. "I don't know what in Abram's name I'd be doing if you weren't with me sometimes, Duran."

"This I know all too well." Duran smirked. "Perhaps it would be best if we went and checked the post to see if any letters arrived at all."

"Perhaps is a vast understatement." Werner stated.

Koge was walking along the rusty rail, a bit out of town, following it for no apparent reason. She was lost in her thoughts, and found it undeniably hard to get out of them. It was well over a month ago that she had discovered Werner was a married man with a daughter far far away. It was probably just as well, seeing how he was clearly ten years older than herself. He was a scientist and she was an assistant. He was a member of the Council of Seven and she was clearly not. So many differences and nothing alike. It was probably meant to be like this.

Her thoughts raged on in her head, telling her to let the man go and continue on her own lonely path when a small rock hit the bottom of her shoe. She looked from the shoe to the rock and noticed it to be no different from any other gray, gravel rock that always lined railways. Yet another rock flew at her, this time hitting her forehead straight on. She fell down, instantly covering the spot with both of her hands and gritting her teeth, squinting her eyes. It hurt badly, no explanation needed about this.

"Hey! Are you O.K?!" Came a young voice.

Koge managed to open one brown eye to see a young reddish blonde girl wearing a simple burgundy sleeveless dress over a yellow button up shirt. Her head had a red headband wrapped around it, sitting just above her brown, wide eyes. She looked a bit younger than Koge, about fifteen or so, and generally concerned about that rock that flew into Koge's face. "I'm O.K." Koge gave a false smile.

"Oh, that's good!" The girl gave a sigh. "For a moment there I thought I accidentally killed you."

"I'm lucky I guess." Koge continued smiling, standing up and taking her hands off the small bump.

"That must have hurt. I didn't mean to hit you! I was just throwin rocks." The girl said.

"It's O.K. You don't need to worry." Koge stated. "I'm Koge. What's your name?"

"I'm Catherine Lee, but my friends call me Cathy! That is, if I had any friends, that's what they would call me." Catherine smiled.

"No friends? Is it because your throwing rocks at them?" Koge laughed.

"Nah." Cathy laughed. "It's cus I'm always moving. My Dad's a politician, and he's always doing field work, so we're constantly moving, you know?"

"Huh, hey, I'm with the government!" Koge beamed.

"What? How can you be in the government? You don't look any older than I am." Cathy gave her a strange look.

"I'm an assistant from Leyline. Right now I'm working with Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Feld of the Council of Seven!" Koge smiled.

"The council of seven! My Dad works with them! He's at Leyline right now! He's the ambassador to the Leyline Committee or something." Cathy replied. "You never know, right? Still, it's awfully important. It's the buzz on the politicians minds for a while. Or at least, that's what my Dad says. The other politicians on Capital's Bluff in Jolly Roger don't really talk about it that much in my opinion." The two began to walk along the rails.

"You've been to Capital's Bluff? That's where the Capital is! The President and all the congressmen live there and act and everything!" Koge was rather interested. She had never really been far from Leyline. Or at least, as far as she could remember, anyway.

"Man, you're really interested in politics, aren't you? My Dad would like you. Politics aren't that big of a deal, I mean." Cathy smiled. "You want to be a politician or something?"

"Me?" Koge was a bit taken a back. She had never thought about being a politician. She was around a lot of politics herself, but she never looked beyond her apprenticeship with Dr. Enduro. "I never really thought about it before…"

"You sound like you'd like it. Politics is for big spenders and people who can argue. At least, that's what my Dad says. "What do you do with the government? I know you said you assist the Council, but what exactly?"

"Well I, um, I did assist Dr. Enduro and Dr. Inkapalia in their laboratories at Leyline Observatory for a few years, you know, genetic engineering, anthropology, paleontology, anatomy, things like that. Actually I helped record files, push crates, and clean up messes and stuff like that. Still, I guess I learned a few things about science there. Now I'm helping in pretty much the same way with Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Feld, though it's more like diction taking, records keeping, and stuff. Werner won't really let me do too much, he tries to help as much as he can. I don't think he's ever had an assistant before…" Koge smiled, thinking about how Werner had stopped her several times so he could finish for her.

"I wish I could do all that! Anthropology, paleontology… that sounds neat. I want to be a scientist some day! My Dad always tells me that if I ever go into the scientific field that I should stay there and not move on into politics. I think that's what he did. Right now he's at Welles Island doing some oversight." Cathy replied.

"Who is your dad Cathy, you seem to talk a lot about him." Koge wondered.

"Oh, he's Professor Lee, the representative of the Federal Research and Development Program. He's famous, I think. Right now I'm staying here in Little Rock with my Aunt." Cathy exclaimed happily. "I stay here when Dad goes abroad."

The two were interrupted by the tiny barks of a small dog. It appeared to be a labrador with dirty yellow coat. Koge stepped back as Cathy trotted ahead and began to pet the dog's head, she in turn received several licks in the face.

"Is that your dog?" Koge asked, stepping closer.

"This is Kaitlyn, my Aunt's pup! I gave her the name when I moved in, because Auntie just called her Pup-pup. Kaitlyn is the prettiest name in the world, don't you think?" Cathy said as she petted the dog near the tracks.

Koge sat near the dog and shyly petted it at first. Cathy noticed this and took Koge's hand and applies force, allowing Koge to pet with a bit more strength. "She's a nice dog. At Leyline, we just have test animals and beasts of burden."

"Wow, what kind of test animals? Do you have those Greater Beasts' I've read about? The ones with all kinds of tentacles coming out of their heads and they walk around on their back legs? Those are the neat ones!" Cathy asked, excited.

"Heh. I don't know. All I've seen since I started there is Cannon Buffalo with a few Rat Monkeys. Still, we don't have anything is cute as Kaitlyn here!" Koge petted a bit more, a great smile on her face.

"Wow… That's pretty cool. I've never seen a great big animal before. Kinda have the sheltered life, if you know what I mean…" Cathy sighed. "My Aunt has bodyguards for her. We've never had to use them, but their Dad's protection for us when he can't be around."

"…" Koge thought. They were kind of like opposites. Koge had always been on her own with the great and dangerous beasts, where as Cathy here lived the life of one in almost exile, seeing nothing of the world, but having a great family for her at home. "Hey Cathy." Koge began. "You want to meet Werner and Dr. Feld? They probably have a great story involving big animals to tell!"

"Politicians with animal stories?" Cathy raised an eyebrow.

"Werner's not exactly the politician. You'll see!" Koge grinned.

"This is not what politicians do, Werner!" Duran shouted as he tried his best to keep up with Werner. The two were running along the railroad tracks in the train yard, trying desperately to catch up with the escaping Postal train.

"You should have picked up the letter this morning, Duran! If you did, we wouldn't have to be doing this!" Werner shouted as he ran, trying to catch the caboose.

"Well you went to the post! I thought you were going to do it!" Duran wheezed.

"You didn't tell me you were expecting mail, remember!?" Werner shouted back as he gunned it on his own two legs, holding on to his broad capped hat with one hand.

The train's whistle pierced the sky with its shrillness. Duran winced as the sound offended his ears. "It must have slipped my mind!" Duran began to slow down, his energy spent. "Go on without me! Get that letter!"

Duran nodded to himself, quickening his pace and allowing his trench coat to catch the wind. The last car was ahead of him, and if he didn't get there soon, the train would catch speed and he'd lose that letter for at least another week. Several rail workers were looking at him rather strangely, and the same went for the miners and trainmen. Still Werner would not give in, and his persistence would pay off. Werner reached out with his right hand and caught the rail guard of the caboose end. Latching on with his other hand, he managed to hoist himself up onto the vehicle. He could see Duran getting smaller and smaller in the distance, and he had absolutely no idea where this train was going. Still, Werner opened the caboose door and allowed himself inside, much to the protests of some of trainmen and postal workers aboard.

"Now, I know this must seem odd." Werner said between breaths. "But I'm urgently looking for a letter."

"A letter? This is a postal train! We have thousands of letters! And how'd you get on this train anyhow?" A postal worker asked.

"That doesn't matter. What matter's right now is that I find a letter that was meant to be picked up this morning at the Little Rock Post. It's from the Government, and it's urgent." Werner announced.

"Messing with the mail is a crime you know!" Came the voice of a different postal worker. "What kind of proof do you have?"

Werner reached into his coat and pulled out his Federal Employee card. He showcased it to everyone around, gaining his or her reluctant approval. "This is the proof. I am Werner Maxwell of the Council of Seven, and I am looking for one or three letters addressed to a Dr. Duran Feld, my partner!"

"Start looking!" The postal worker shouted to everyone else. "It shouldn't be hard to find seeing how it's in the left over pile!"

"How do you know it's on the train?" Another postal worker asked.

"The Post Master affirmed it." Werner replied. "And can we get this train stopped? I'm stationed at Little Rock right now."

"We'll see what we can do." The Worker responded.

It was about a half an hour later once Duran had spotted Werner once more. He looked like he had endured a sandstorm or two as he followed the rails back to town on this cloudy day. Koge and her new friend, Cathy, had recently joined Duran, and the two parties informed each other on what they had accomplished, albeit hardly any of it being of any importance. Koge trotted off a bit towards Werner in an attempt to meet him halfway. He had jogged quite a bit since his departure from the train.

"Werner! Hey, you all right?" Koge asked as she met up the scientist.

"Yea, I'm good. Thanks Koge." Werner smiled, patting the girl atop the head. "I think that was my most dramatic encounter with the mail as of yet."

"I'd say so." Duran smiled as he began to meet with them, followed by Koge's friend Cathy. "Did you obtain the letter?"

Werner shook his head. "No…"

"Well, I suppose a train like that may have had some kind of difficulties…" Duran sighed.

"Duran, I got three letters." Werner revealed the letters with a grin.

"Are those the letters to get Malik out?" Koge asked.

"They sure are." Werner said. "I heeded your advice Duran and read them myself. It turns out you really don't need two people to read a letter or three."

Duran shook his head. "You really are something Werner. Well, what did they say?"

"Senator Kaze, Congressman Hill, and Berlitz have all sent an order of National Crisis to the Institution for the release of one Dr. Malik Benedict." Werner said.

"The fate of the world depends on it, so it is kind of a national crisis!" Koge examined.

"That's my Dad." Cathy smiled to Koge.

"Well, let's go see what Mattias has to say, shall we?" Duran smiled.


	11. Elf

****

Two days later … September 1860

The Iron Gate doors opened during the twilight, allowing Werner Maxwell inside. He was accompanied by his old friend is right hand man Dr. Duran Feld, as well as their assistant Koge Donbo. They were also aided by a few soldiers, with having nothing else better to do being stationed in Little Rock, decided to help Werner and his official letters of release if the need be. The thunder and lightning were gone, and the clouds as well, but the disturbing aura of the Institution was still about, such as an invisible mist of unsettling fear.

Werner looked about as he walked. It was earlier than the last time, and thus would explain for a more active and larger staff. The soldiers kept to their march, dressed in their blue with brass buttons. The searchlights were placed upon the entreating party, and the barks of a savage dog or two accompanied them well.

"Werner, do you get the feeling…" Duran looked about, nervously.

"That we're not wanted?" Werner finished. "The feeling is apparently obvious."

"Yea…" Koge stated. In her hand was a briefcase, filled with legal documents of all kinds. They were going to be prepared for anything.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry too much…" Duran fasly stated himself. "We have these four strapping young soldiers here to help us." The man looked to the soldiers beside him.

"Yes, well, let's get this over with." Werner concluded the brief conversation as they approached the main entrance. The broad steps leading up to the gothic castle of yore, now naught but a house for deranged minds. Werner grabbed hold of the giant brass knocker and loudly banged it against the tall door several times, awaiting an answer. They knew he was coming, for Mattias would have received a letter from the Federal government the same say Werner had received his. Besides, the guards had their eyes trained on them, their Springfields, and their searchlights. Many moments passed, and the door did not stir once.

"Werner? Are you sure this is a good idea?" Duran asked.

"I'm positive. This is why we brought along the soldiers." Werner replied. He backed a few steps down the broad staircase, back to where the six others stood. He looked to the soldiers. "Open those doors."

"Sir. Yes sir." The four replied. They ran up the stairs and to the door, easily kicking it in. The great wooden doors swung open, letting the night sky shine into the vestibule.

Duran examined the door as they all walked in. He placed the spectacles over his nose and searched the back. "This door wasn't locked at all."

"Of course not. They know they can't resist, so they're just going to be hostile! Right?" Koge theorized.

"Makes sense to me." Werner nodded. "Still, I suppose we should seek out Mattias. If were to steal Malik from right under his nose, there's no telling what could happen."

"Right." Koge swallowed. "And we don't know how to get to Malik."

"That too…" Werner frowned.

"Can I help you?" Two guards entered the vestibule from an iron door to the right. Walking between them was a male nurse. "I'm supposed to be manning the front desk. Sorry, but I had an emergency to take care of."

Duran rolled his eyes at the statement just made. It was coated in deceit. "Yes, yes." Duran took a few steps forward. "We're here representing the government, and I'm sure your offices received a letter from the Federal Bureau indicating a release of one Dr. Malik Benedict."

"We want to see Mattias." Werner stepped forward.

"Right. He was expecting you." The nurse sighed as he sat down at his desk on the dirty checkerboard floor. "Allow me to call him to you."

"We'll go to him." Werner said in a commanding voice. "Just show us the way."

The nurse was about to object, but found Werner's stare rather uncomforting. He sighed and pressed a few buttons on his desk and looked to one of the guards standing by. "Escort these 'gentlemen' to Dr. Mattias' office."

The guard nodded and began to walk towards the staircase. Werner, Duran, Koge, and the soldiers made suit.

"You don't think they'd try to attack us, would they?" Koge whispered to Duran.

"I'm more worried what kind of path we'll have to endure before reaching the office." Duran whispered back.

The path Duran had spoke of was nothing short of a few lengthy hallways (all of which were dimly lit and covered in the same dirty linoleum the vestibule was covered in.) and several turns. They had even gone up an elevator, a rather new invention, to a simple floor, which matched the same description as the one below. Not a patient to be seen. Upon meeting a fork in the hallways on this floor, the guard stopped before two twin oak doors. The government officials and aids halted as well, awaiting a response to the guards knocking. One, twice, thrice he knocked until the door slowly opened.

"Such is the unholy day…" Mattias muttered as he slowly came into view, wearing the same black attire he had wore on the last visit. "That the tyrants hand plucks away at the private sector."

"Dr. Mattias." Werner addressed as Mattias came out. "You've received the letters, have you not?"

"The letters…" Mattias grumbled a bit louder, so that he was audible.

"Yes, the ones issued from the Department of Administrative Services." Duran answered. "The ones stating that Dr. Malik Benedict is to be released into our services."

Koge's eyes slowly glanced around the area. The darkness was settling in. She didn't wish to be in this place after nightfall once more.

"Yes, I have received those letters." Mattias replied, pulling a pair of letters from his jacket. "You want our patients so badly, yet do not even bother considering a small token for our services."

"We don't represent that department." Duran stated. Werner had just about used all of his knowledge when it came to government. As much as he seemed it, Werner was still convinced he was nothing more than a scientist. Duran furrowed his eyebrows. "Try the Department of Health and Welfare. We're under the Department of Science and Technology."

"And yet, the Department of Science and Technology has the power to remove my patients from my institution. Does that not seem a bit strange to you?" Mattias said.

"All right, we've had enough of this." Werner interrupted. "Let's just get this over with. Just release Malik and let it be done!"

"So he can do what? Save the world? I'm sorry, Dr. Maxwell, but the world is far beyond the point of no return. Filgaia is on a course of sheer annihilation, and there's nothing your "Council of Seven" can do about it." Mattias reared himself to full height, tapping his walking stick against the hard floor for emphasis.

"Are you defying a federal order?" Duran asked. The soldiers grip on their ARMs tightened.

"Mattias, what is this about?! Is this all really due to the fact that we won't give you funds for your nut house? Are you really going to deny Malik a better, more fulfilling life due to a little excursion like this?!" Werner stepped forward, his voice growing louder.

"How dare you!" Mattias roared. "You insult me greatly! My love for my child is one without borders of any kind! He is all I have left now; of course I wish him happiness! But he cannot have that! His mind prevents it! What I mean when I say you cannot save Filgaia is that her people are damned forever to cause each other grief and loneliness! Not just Malik, who had his saintly mother taken from him, but all of the patients here at the institution have been forsaken by a brutal race. Your Council of Seven will do naught more but cause him more grief and despair! You may save the planet, but the people shall always possess a black heart! Malik needs a safe place where he will always be treated well!"

"The life of chains is not a dignified existence!" Werner said. "No matter how you rationalize it. Malik told us he wishes to help us, and you should pay attention to him! He's not crazy at all!"

"Your words speak volumes of lies, Dr. Maxwell. Malik is wanted nowhere." Mattias stated. "So he shall stay here, so help me Abram!"

"LOOK!" Koge shouted, stepping towards the hostile headmaster. "Malik doesn't want to stay here anymore! He wants to help Filgaia, like his Mom did! Her death apparently hurt both of you, but it looks like he's recovered more than you have!"

"You don't have a choice, Dr. Benedict. Hand his papers over." Duran sighed. "Or you'll be arrested for ignoring an executive order."

The four soldiers stepped closer. Mattias began to sweat. He stepped back a bit, his full height gone. "Black are the days that have come over us, when the tyrants have taken our children." Mattias closed his eyes. "This shall not be taken lightly. I shall fight it as far as I can."

"Does that mean you openly refuse?" Duran raised an eyebrow.

"…No. I shall have the papers sent to your home offices in Leyline." Mattias had caved in. "If you will excuse me, I shall have Malik brought to you."

Werner nodded and Mattias stepped behind the two doors he had stood before. The doors were closed, and the sense of tension had dissipated a little. Koge let out a sigh of relief and looked to her two superiors. "For a moment there, I thought he was going to stand his ground."

"Me too." Duran took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow. "At least we know now that without the executive order, we wouldn't have done it."

Werner turned and looked to Duran, a question on his features. "Speaking of executive orders, I thought only the President could issue those."

Duran shook his head. "The Department of Administrative Services is part of the Executive Branch. With Berlitz, Kaze, and Hill and their respective committees, President Grant probably heard it and sent out word. It's a National Crisis, remember?"

"Well, that would explain it." Koge rolled her eyes, pretending she had any concept of what they were talking about. Everyday, Werner was becoming a politician more and more. Well, as head of the Committee to Recruit Members for the Council of Seven (**CREMECOS**), she figured he had to (Even though the committee consisted of only two people.) "Still, what do we tell Malik?"

"We tell him everything he wants to know. He's a capable adult." Werner replied.

"Or so we'd like to think." Duran said.

The doors in which Mattias had escaped to earlier opened once again, revealing the disturbed doctor. He was a bit shaken and leaned upon the door for assistance. He looked to Werner, a bit of malice in his eyes. "They will bring him here to you shortly." It was then when Mattias fell to the floor. There was a second thud, as the walking stick hit the hard floor. Werner and Koge immediately stepped forward and got on the ground as Duran looked surprised.

"Dr. Benedict!" Koge shouted, grabbing his head.

"What the hell happened?" Werner asked as he geabbed Mattias' arm, checking to see a pulse.

"What in Abram's name is going on?!" Duran was bewildered.

"He's still alive." Werner commented.

"Wake up! What's wrong!?" Koge asked the doctor, but her shouts were falling upon deaf ears.

"This might be it!" A soldier said as he picked up a fallen bottle of pills. "We have to get this man to a hospitable!"

Koge looked to Werner, who nodded in agreement. "Right. Let's get him up!"

The four soldiers picked up Mattias and tried their best to get him in a relaxed position. Werner and Koge started off down the hall before them when Duran suddenly shouted. "Wait! What about Malik?!"

"Shit!" Werner cursed. "Duran! You'll have to stay here and wait for him!"

"Me?!" Duran was taken a back. "B-b-but I-"

"Please Sr. Feld?!" Koge pleaded.

Duran scared eyes looked to the ground. "A-all right. You go ahead. Get that man to a hospital."

"Hey Duran!" Werner shouted.

"What is it?" Duran looked back up.

"Thanks." Werner nodded.

"Yea…" Duran sighed as the six ran off downs the hall towards the elevator. Duran sat himself down upon a bench sitting along the hallway. The sounds of the running men and their effect on the surrounding staff soon disappeared, and Duran out his face in his palms.

The small hospital doors crashed open as the group of soldiers led by Werner and Koge soared in. It was a small, wooden waiting room where a few injured miners were sitting on a bench underneath a painting of the plains. The female nurse sitting behind the front desk stood up at once, eagerly wishing to know what the hell was going on.

Koge was the first to reach her. Short on breath due to a lot of running and horseback riding, the normal two and a half-hour trip was made in less than one. "W-we need… we need a doctor!" Koge breathed heavily.

The soldiers stood by, holding the unconscious body of Mattias as the nurse ran up. "Oh dear! What's wrong with the man!?"

"Hey took a few pills. These are the ones." Werner tossed the nurse the bottle.

The lady looked to the bottle, which was labeled 'Dr. Zanfinsky's Cure it all heart pills.' "Fe's is an understatement honey." She turned the bottle over and saw only three pills fall. "This is serious! Quickly! Follow me!"

Koge, Werner, and the soldiers started after the nurse through the swinging double doors and down the wooden hall. It wasn't a long hall, and soon (very soon), they stumbled into a check up room, where a young male doctor dressed in a yellow vest and a white apron splattered in blood. He was washing off a hacksaw in the sink when he looked to the panting group of distressed people. "What in the name of Ashley Winchester is going on?!"

"Doctor Kovahn! This man has overdosed on heart pills! They say he did it about an hour ago!" The nurse informed the doctor as she gave him the bottle.

The doctor analyzed the bottle, rubbing his square jaw. "Dr. Zanfinsky's huh? Shit, these things are some of the most potent things I've ever seen in my career." The soldiers laid Mattias on the bed and Dr. Kovahn checked the pulse. Faint, but still there. "Good Abram, what in the world would cause someone to take all of them at once?"

Koge looked to Werner, who looked to the floor. The nurse was practically leaping with anxiety. "Doctor! What can I get for you?!"

"We're going to have to do some bleeding. Get all the bad blood out, so get me some alcohol! We'll also need some anesthetics!" The doctor instructed.

"Right away sir!" The nurse then ran off to the supply quarters to attain the tools needed.

"I-is he going to be all right?" Koge asked, worried. She had never been responsible for the death of a man before. Well, maybe it wasn't true that SHE herself was responsible, but she was part of the overall effect.

"I don't know. Now, if you'll excuse me, this ill be a difficult and sensitive operation, so if you'll leave us…" Doctor Kovahn requested.

"Of course." Werner nodded before walking out with the soldiers, dragging Koge along with him.

Werner sat on a bench beside Koge, slumped over. The soldiers had gone for the night, but were told to be ready at a moments notice. He had his elbows on his thighs and he stared at the cactus plant sitting in a pot on the other side of the room. Over the moments, he and that cactus got to know each other rather well.

"Werner?" Koge finally broke the silence.

"…Yea Koge?" Werner replied, letting his thoughts wander from what the hell just happened to the squat cactus sitting before him.

"Do you… do you think that he meant to kill himself?" Koge asked.

"…I don't know. The thought of losing his son might just do that…"

"But he wasn't losing him! He was just letting him go! The shock of letting him go… maybe he just needed a heart pill, but took too many…"

"He was old enough for heart pills. Who knows how many pills Duran takes, but I don't know. Mattias was a strange man with a strange view on life. …I guess loss and grief can do that to someone. I just pray to Abram I, nor Ekatrina, or even Virginia will ever know that kind of loss…" Werner sighed.

"…" Koge sighed and turned her gaze from Werner's profile to the cactus. It was a squat, green cactus found out in the parts out near Dune Canyon. It seemed like a nice plant, not too big or tacky- if plants can be tacky. She shook her head and looked back to Werner's face. "…Virginia is your daughter, right?"

"That she is." Werner gave a small smile. "She should be approaching her third birthday soon."

Koge smiled. "She must be adorable."

"She has her mothers emerald eyes and my set of locks." Werner chuckled. "She sure is a cute baby."

"She must be."

"Well, maybe one day, you'll see her. Hopefully not too long from now.."

"I'd like that…." Koge smiled.

The footsteps of men echoed throughout the hallway. Duran looked up from his palms to see a few men coming his way. Namely a few guards and the blonde Malik Benedict, dressed in civilian clothing (a baje suit over a slightly tan vest and white button up shirt underneath them.). The man was smiling like a lark, for his day at redemption had come. However, the welcoming wagon he was expecting wasn't here. There was only Dr. Feld.

"Ah, Dr. Benedict." Duran stood up from the bench and dusted himself off. "How are you feeling today?"

"Well enough, Dr. Feld." Malik grinned. "Please, just call me Malik. For far too long, I've been confused with my father."

"Right then…" Duran looked to the corner of his eyes at the mention of Dr. Benedict senior.

"Well, is everything prepared? Where's Dr. Maxwell?" Malik questioned.

"Ah, well, yes, everything is prepared for you removal from this institution and re-admittance into society." Duran nodded. "Dr. Maxwell had to leave a bit earlier. You see, your father had a bit of an accident…"

"What kind of accident?" Malik raised an eyebrow.

Duran began to sweat. He didn't know how Malik would react to the news. "He, well, he seemed to have taken a few too many pills and passed out. Dr. Maxwell and the soldiers took him to the Little Rock hospital about an hour and a half ago. Everything should be all right! Really!"

"Well let's go! We have to see him at once!" Malik leaped up.

"But Malik! A-are you sure you're ready to go?" Duran asked, feeling something was a miss.

"Yes! Everything's ready to go!" Malik almost snapped. "We have to see my father!" The guards seemed antsy.

"Right. Well then, let's get going. There should be a carriage for us left in the courtyard."

****

The next morning… September, 1860

The sun was coming over the horizon, lighting the ton, the railroads, the mountainsides, and the small river and coastline in it's dim light. The encroaching sun poured through the waiting room window, covering the sleeping forms of Werner and Koge. Duran opened one eye as he rested in the chair near them. It had been a hectic night, full of surprises and dismay. The doctor was very pessimistic about Mattias' recovering in the early hours, but after Malik had arrived and began speaking to his father, Mattias' recovery was almost assured. Duran stood up and stretched. His old bones hurt after sleeping in a wooden chair. He saw Werner sleeping against the armrest on the bench, and Koge leaning against Werner, also in a slumber. Duran smiled at the sight. He then walked through the door and into the clinic room, where Mattias was resting on the bed and Mattias in a chair next to him.

"I wonder… if that boy knew what his father had planned for him…. But then, if he knew, somehow I doubt this morning would have turned out any different…" Duran thought aloud. The Benedict's had lost a key part of their life, and they only had each other to rely on through their disturbed days.

"Morning Duran…" Werner mumbled as he walked in, rubbing his eyes.

Werner turned back to see him. "Ah Werner. What a chaotic night we had, eh?"

"Chaotic is an understatement, Duran." Werner stated. "How's Malik?"

"He seemed well enough." Duran thought of the night before. "But should you ask about his father?"

"He'll pull through. He's got a son to live for, just as I have a daughter." Werner smirked.

"Well, at least I know if you were to ever overdose, I needn't worry." Duran grinned.

"You know…" Malik said with his eyes still closed, surprising the two other men in the room. "After what life I've lived, I wonder what Abram is doing up there and why he planned naught but hell for me… but sometimes…" Malik opened his green eyes and looked to his father. "Sometimes it turns out all right…"

Strangely enough, a small song came though the room. It sounded at first as if it were only one woman, but soon grew into a larger group of singers. Koge walked in. "There's something going on at the river down the road a bit. Sounds pretty."

"Duran, what day is it?" Werner looked to the older scientist.

"Sunday I believe." Duran replied.

Werner chuckled. "If Elliot were here for all this, he'd have a fit. In situations like these, it's hard to say Abram doesn't exist…"

****

Allison Kraus – Down in the River to Pray

As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good old way   
  
And who shall wear the starry crown   
  
Good Lord, show me the way !   
  
O sisters let's go down,   
  
Let's go down, come on down,   
  
O sisters let's go down,   
  
Down in the river to pray.   
  
As I went down in the river to pray   
  
Studying about that good old way   
  
And who shall wear the robe and crown   
  
Good Lord, show me the way !   
  
O brothers let's go down,   
  
Let's go down, come on down,   
  
Come on brothers let's go down,   
  
Down in the river to pray.   
  
As I went down in the river to pray   
  
Studying about that good old way   
  
And who shall wear the starry crown   
  
Good Lord, show me the way !   
  
O fathers let's go down,   
  
Let's go down, come on down,   
  
O fathers let's go down,   
  
Down in the river to pray.   
  
As I went down in the river to pray   
  
Studying about that good old way   
  
And who shall wear the robe and crown   
  
Good Lord, show me the way !   
  
O mothers let's go down,   
  
Let's go down, don't you want to go down,   
  
Come on mothers let's go down,   
  
Down in the river to pray.   
  
As I went down in the river to pray   
  
Studying about that good old way   
  
And who shall wear the starry crown   
  
Good Lord, show me the way !   
  
O sinners let's go down,   
  
Let's go down, come on down,   
  
O sinners let's go down,   
  
Down in the river to pray.   
  
As I went down in the river to pray   
  
Studying about that good old way   
  
And who shall wear the robe and crown

Good Lord, show me the way !


	12. Zwolf

****

One month later … October, 1860

The town of Quartley was in jubilation on this blue sunny day. Everyone one of it's citizens were about the single railway heading through the territory on the edge of the small frontier town, dressed in their Sunday best while waving the 'Cactus Jack', also known as the Union of the Federal Republic of Filgaia's flag. The flag itself was the shape of a rectangle, as almost all flags are prone to be being, and made up of a large ring circling around a single white star. The ring was divided into seven sections, each colored a different color, over a baje background. Small flags, tall flags, large flags, and tiny flags were shown all over the town, especially in the hands of the town's citizens, who were gathered along the sides of the rail, as if it were a parade. But yet, it was a parade. Confetti was being thrown from the second stories of the white houses along the rail route, and cheering was quite abundant. A series of rail cars were pulling through the town quite slowly, making several stops on its way through. The cars, quite like the town, were quite patriotic in dress, adorned in the colors of the flag and symbols of their beloved country. Soldiers waved and smiled as they escorted the train, and town officials could be seen sitting with characters in quite colorful dress, creating smiles for both the children and adult. A band was standing in one of the open cars, dressed brightly in patriotic colors, playing much patriotic and high energy music. Yes, it was such a jubilee, but it wasn't a holiday. What on Filgaia could possibly muster this much nationalism?

"Popcorn! Get you popcorn! Get it right here!" A small boy, about eleven or twelve in age, with blonde hair and shirtsleeve shirt and shorts walked about through the crowds, shouting his pitch in order to obtain a few Gella.

"I'll take one." Came the unmistakable voice of Werner Maxwell. The boy looked up as the tall, friendly man in the tanned coat and broad rimmed hat. "How much?" Werner asked.

"Ten Gella!" The boy smiled.

Werner smiled back and looked over his shoulder, into the crowd. "Hey Duran, Malik, you guys want any popcorn?"

"No thanks Werner." Came Duran's voice. "I'm saving myself for whenever the fried dough comes.

"You'll be waiting for that in your dreams Duran." Malik grinned. "Get some for me, will ya?"

"All right." Werner replied. He looked down to the boy and continued his purchase. "Two popcorns." He then handed the boy twenty Gella.

The boy reached into his pack and began fishing. An object was in the way, and thus, he pulled out an object. It appeared to be a handmade model of some kind of craft. The boy gently placed it on the dusty earth and reached into the bag again, procuring two popcorn bags and handing them to Werner. "They're you go, sir!"

Werner accepted the popcorn and then gave a second look to the model. "What's that you have there?"

"This?" The boy glanced at the model he had pulled out. "It's my airplane model! I've been working on it for a long time!"

"Airplane, huh? Are those wings?" Werner asked as he began to munch on popcorn.

"Yea! It flies… or at least supposed to! I'll get it going tonight!" The boy eagerly said.

"Hold on." Werner told the boy. "Hey Duran! You should see this!" Werner shouted.

Duran emerged from the crowd of spectators and adjusted his spectacles. He was dressed in his best clothes as well and was wearing his spectacles in order to get a sight at whoever was on the train. "I told you Werner, I'm saving my gella for the dough."

"Not that. Look at this." Werner smiled as he pointed out the craft in the boys arms.

Duran squatted a bit and narrowed his eyes as he eyed the thing. "It appears to be a model of some kind of craft. Pray tell, what is it?"

"It's an airplane!" The boy smiled. "Of my own design! The SK-13! I'm going to get it to fly tonight!"

Duran began to chuckle. At first, he tried to stifle it, but the old man couldn't control it. He stepped back, laughing and confusing the other two near him. "Oh, that is a good one. A flying vehicle? Quite possible with a model, but not in realistic terms. Surly, you aren't serious, my boy! What is your name?"

The boy frowned a bit. "I'm Jack. Jack Beckson."

"Well, Mr. Beckson. You truly are a dreamer." Duran sighed.

"Please, just Jack. Mr. Is for teachers." Jack shook his head.

"Duran, don't you have any thing constructive to add? You are the conventional engineering specialist." Werner munched more popcorn.

Duran stood to his full height and coughed. "Indeed I am. I'm glad you remembered that Werner." Duran placed a hand to his beard and gazed at the model. "Well, if it were to fly, young Jack, you'd best remove everything you can. Weight is the key factor in flight. All you want is a skeleton with some sort of thin yet durable material stretched over it, say canvas."

Jack looked to the SK-13 and eyed it analytically. "I could take off some stuff…"

"And try flying it from a hill. The updraft should give you an advantage." Duran nodded.

"Gotcha!" Jack grinned. "Thanks Mr.!"

"Hey Jack!" Came the voice of two children. One was a small girl about his age dressed in a light blue dress with dark hair and the other a pale young boy in expensive clothing with long blonde hair. The girl was the one who had spoken. "Jack! You gotta hurry! He'll be making his speech any moment!"

"That's right! Thanks Violetta! Let's go Reese!" Jack smiled.

Reese nodded and Violetta laughed as they began running into the crowd, just as Malik began running out. "Hey, Dr. Alceste is gonna start any minute!" Malik exclaimed. "Hey, is that my popcorn?"

Werner handed Malik the red and white striped bag of popped kernels and sighed. "How on Filgaia did Leehalt ever get so popular…"

"He's done the territory a lot of good. If it weren't for him, Quartley or Ballack Rise would be ghost towns by now. He's the one that keeps the government as well as the public interested in the territory." Duran explained.

"Is there some kind of tension between you and Dr. Alceste?" Malik asked as he munched a handful of bright yellow popcorn. "Only Dr. Alceste's key personal and officials are with him enough to get to personally know him. How do you know him?"

"We both grew up in the same town." Werner stated. "That's pretty much it."

"Ah. But it doesn't say why you are always so pessimistic about the subject of Dr. Alceste. He's the world's leading authority on the Filgaia theory, you know. It would be wise to include him."

"He's running for Senator to! He'd be the first senator of the territory! Just think what all that publicity would do to our cause!" Malik smiled.

"We've got enough publicity on our part, Malik. And I know why we're here Duran. I'd just be much happier nominating that popcorn kid Jack for Council then Leehalt. He may appear to be a public defender, but inside, he's a much darker man…" Werner explained.

Malik gave a smirk. "I think someone's jealous!"

"This is for the fate of Filgaia Werner. It really is beyond your personal inclinations, whatever they maybe or how they arose. So, just show some respect to the man. He IS the famous Dr. Leehalt Alceste!" Duran shook his head.

"Hey, there gonna start soon! Let's get over there!" Malik said as he began walking back through the crowd towards the railway.

Werner sighed as he sullenly followed, Duran making suit.

-

The band stopped their music, and the crowds dimmed their cheers. The man standing on the end balcony of the caboose was not Dr. Leehalt Alceste. He was a man with brown hair and a tiny mustache, dressed in the patriotic uniform that the soldiers wore as well, save a few too many bright buttons. He was a high ranking official within the territory. "'Ow eez everyone, today?!" He shouted at the top of his lungs in a strange accent. A large roar followed, making the man smirk.

"Who is this guy?" Werner asked Duran as they stood behind a large group of people.

"That's the Governing Representative, Jon Abondues. He's the territory's equelivent to a governor. He has no real say in nation politics at all, just a figurehead and a scape goat in case he's needed. He does run the territory itself though with little concern from the Houses. That's why everyone's so crazy about Dr. Alceste running for senator." Duran explained.

"I am so happy to see everyone so well today!" Jon, the Governing Representative, continued. "Well, my good ceetiizens, do you know who eez represtenting you in ze house?"

"NO ONE!" The crowd shouted in unison.

"Zat eez correct! Are we not a free people, united under ze same flag as za seven states?!" Jon asked for a reply once more.

"YEA!" The crowd shouted back.

"Zen we should acquire statehood! We deserved to be represented in ze house! We have a say is ze country's affairs, no?" Jon shouted.

"YEA!" The crowd shouted once more.

"Zen please welcome weeth all your hearts, ze territory's hero, ze one, ze only, Dr. Leehalt Alceste!" Jon stepped to the back, clapping his little white gloves as he faded from view in the midsts of the cheering from the crowd.

A new figure emerged on the balcony a few feet from the ground. He was tall, about Werner's height, with long black hair and a somewhat pale complexion. He was dressed in a clack suit with a necktie and brown eyes. He smiled as he stepped out, waving to the crowd gone nuts.

"So that's Dr. Alceste!" Malik said. "I've only read his books. I've never seen him before."

"I've never seen him smile before…" Werner thought aloud.

"Getting to see him will be hard. It is possible he never got around to seeing our letter, as he is an incredibly famous scientist…" Duran rubbed his beard.

Leehalt held up his hands after a few moments, indicating he required silence…

-

Night had fallen over Quartley, and the festivities were still carrying on, however without Dr. Leehalt Alceste. The town was honored that Dr. Leehalt's train was staying the night, and thus was an exceptional political tactic played out on Leehalt's part. The train was brightly lit due to the restless activities of Leehalt's election campaign crew. Paperwork, advice, typing, was all being down. The train was nicely furnished with a dark green carpeting and polished redwood interior with dark leather seating in its available cars. Yet, most of it was covered in propaganda and paper.

Leehalt was sitting in his private quarters, biting the top of a pen as he placed a pair of small reading glasses over his brown eyes to read what he was writing. It would be his next speech, and most of it was already typed out by his speech writers, but Leehalt always added a bit in by himself. He said it allowed him to make it his words and thus his vision. It was during this when the softly lit room heard a knock on his door. Now Leehalt's quarters were never quiet. He had the constant murmur of the rushing between cars out in the narrow hall, and the record playing on his phonograph introduced background music. The knocking continued and Leehalt swiped his glasses off his nose and placed it on the writing desk. He stood up and opened the door to see the Governing Representative Jon Abondues with three men: Duran, Malik, and Werner.

"Zese men have an appointment weez you Leehalt. Zey are from ze Council of Seven, so zey say." Jon said, awaiting approval or not.

Leehalt hesitated a moment, trying to remember what the council's letter said. He remembered and smirked. "Thank you Jon. You can let them in."

Jon nodded and turned to the three behind him. "You may proceed." And thus, Jon walked off, between briskly walking typists.

Dr. Duran Feld and Dr. Malik Benedict walked in first, followed by a reluctant Werner Maxwell. The three stepped in as Leehalt sat in his favorite leather armchair. "Have a seat gentlemen." Leehalt waved his arm, indicating the available chairs sitting against the wall.

The three took their seats. Duran looked to Werner. "Can you please pass the paperwork, Werner?"

Leehalt looked to the rawhide-coated man, surprise and shock mixed into his pale face. "Werner? As in Werner Maxwell, correct?"

Werner handed the papers over to Duran and gave a timid, false smile. "That's my name."

"Well Abram damn it all, if it isn't Werner Maxwell!" Leehalt slapped his suited knee. "I haven't seen you since our school days in Boot Hill! How are you doing?!"

Werner looked to Malik and Duran and then back to Leehalt. "I'm doing well enough, though apparently not so well as you are." Werner cleared his throat. "These are Dr. Duran Feld and Dr. Malik Benedict, my coworkers and fellow Council members."

Leehalt nodded. "Glad to meet your acquaintance, I'm sure." He then looked to Werner. "So, what have you been doing since you I left Boot Hill? Getting yourself involved in government, I see."

"Well, at first I was primarily in the private sector working in the coding field and on the Hyades code, but quite recently I was asked to join the Council of Seven by Dr. Feld here." Werner summed up.

"Dr. Alceste, you know Dr. Werner Maxwell personally?" Malik asked, intrigued.

"Yes I do, Dr… Benedict?" Leehalt received a nod from Malik. "We were best friends when we were young boys. From the beginning of school right until I left for University. It was just Werner, myself, and Ekatrina."

The mention of Ekatrina by Leehalt gave a silent shudder to Werner. He swallowed and interjected. "Well, can we get back to business?"

"Werner, there's no need to be rude." Duran narrowed his old eyes.

"We are facing a national crisis, Duran!" Werner spat back.

"Ah, well, I suppose business would be appropriate." Leehalt crossed his arms. "Now, what was it you needed from me? You seem like busy men, as I am one too, what with my campaign for the Senate."

"Senate…" Werner echoed. "Duran, Malik, can I see you two in private for a moment?"

"What for?" Duran asked.

"Trust me." Werner eyed him.

"Well, alright." Duran replied. "I'm terribly sorry for the inconvience Dr. Alceste. If you'd escuse us."

"Go ahead." Leehalt nodded.

Duran stood up and Werner opened the door. The two stepped out before Werner popped his head back in. "That means you to, Malik."

"Oh, right." Malik stood up and exited, closing the door.

The three were pressed against the door as the campaign employees frequently trotted back and forth down and up the hall. Duran crossed his arms, obviously showing annoyance, as Malik was just confused. "What's this about now, Werner?" Duran asked.

"Leehalt is currently running for senator, correct?" Werner stated.

"This is true, yes." Duran replied.

"The Senate is a full time job thousands of miles away from Yggdrassil and hundreds from Leyline. He wouldn't be able to do both the council and the Senate. And it's pretty apparent he's spent a lot of money on this campaign." Werner told the two.

"So you're saying that he wouldn't be able to do the Council?" Malik asked.

"Precisely. I don't think he's about to give up the Senate for Yggdrassil." Werner replied.

"You're preposterous Werner." Duran sighed. "Whatever vendetta you have against Dr. Alceste is irrelevant right now. The world is at stake so suck it up."

"Besides." Malik began. "We'll never know unless we ask."

Werner could see his was fighting a losing battle. Leehalt was a famous scientist, a celebrity, and a hero to the territories. A very honorable man to almost everyone: Elliot, Pete, Melody, Berlitz, and the two beside him. Was there nothing he could do? "Fine. We'll see."

The three stepped inside the room once more, taking their seats. Leehalt placed his fingers together. "Well, are we continuing, gentlemen?"

"Yes, Dr. Leehalt. Thank you for excusing our little mishap." Duran said as he eyed Werner.

"It's no problem at all, Dr. Feld." Leehalt smiled. "Now, where were we?"

"Err… How do you feel about PROJECT Yggdrassil and the Council of Seven?" Werner asked after he received a nudge in the ribs from both sides of him.

"I believe the salvation of our world is a necessity, despite the enormous costs. Filgaia is dying and we need to breathe life into her to make her a stronger, more resilient being for our future generations. Her death maybe estimated to be some six hundred years from now, but have we and out fathers and their fathers not been trying for the last three hundred to stop he decay? I am all for it and will push with all my strength in the senate to make sure PROJECT Yggdrassil is always running efficiently." Leehalt answered.

Malik laughed. "Sounds like your always pushing for votes!"

"That is good to hear, but we aren't in this for the politics." Werner crossed his arms.

"Dr. Alceste, you are the world's leading expert on the Filgaia theory. Your books and papers are more insightful than any other resource known. You may know that Yggdrassil runs on the Filgaia theory as well, do you?" Duran said eagerly.

"I do. Much of my word was built off Yggdrassil and off Welles Island and the former Councils." Leehalt nodded.

"None of our departments come close to the vast knowledge you possess on the subject. If indeed Filgaia is a living being, without proper knowledge, we may do her more harms than good. Our nanotechnologist states that in order to get Yggdrassil working, more research would be needed on Filgaia's anatomical and cellular structure…" Duran continued.

"Yes, as it would seem plausible. Nanotechnology could run amok and do devastating damage to a being, especially a planet, if not checked. I'm greatly impressed that you've acquired a nanotechnologist. It's a new and rare field, but one that Yggdrassil requires much of." Leehalt leaned foreword, interested.

"In order to save Filgaia, we need to know about Filgaia and the Filgaia Theory. In short…" Duran said. "We need your aid. We need you, Dr. Alceste, to head a department on the council of Seven and save Filgaia."

"But it would seem your running for senator. I don't think you could pull off both jobs." Werner interrupted.

"You are absolutely right, both of you." Leehalt leaned back into his chair with some thought. "With only a small understanding of Filgaia herself, you could easily end up advancing her condition. Still, I am running for senator, and have already pooled a great deal of my money and time into it. Many many people right now in the territories are depending on myself and my influence over the houses to gain statehood for the territories. I am deeply honored that you would come to me for my aid, but I will have to think about it. It has been a while since I was in the scientific realm, but the fate of the world rests upon your knowledge of Filgaia…." Leehalt put a hand to his chin. "If you would come back to me at a alter date, perhaps tomorrow evening, I will give you my word then."

"Thank you." Duran said. "Then we will be on our way."

-

"Duran, I thought you said you weren't good around people!" Werner mumbled as the three exited the train and into the night festivities.

"Normally I am not, but when the person who is supposed to be doing the talking is acting like a child, I have to say something!" Duran turned his chin. "I will see you both tomorrow."

"Good night Duran." Malik waved as the older man walked off.

"You don't know what's really going on, Duran…" Werner said, narrowing his eyes and tightening his fists. "I'm heading off. See you in the morning Malik." And with that, Werner walked off in the opposite direction.

"Good night Werner." Malik replied. He sighed as both Werner and Duran had vanished into the night. "Well this was fun. What with all this animosity, it's just me, by myself. And now I'm talking to myself. Good night Malik, have a nice night." And so, Malik walked off in a third direction, towards the laughter and glitter of a jubilee.

-

Leehalt reached into his desk drawer and fished through the contents before coming across a paper wrapped package. He pulled it out and blew the dust off, neatly unwrapping it. It was a picture frame of an old black and white photograph of Werner, himself, and Ekatrina when they were all in their mid teens.

"Ekatrina… I thought I had sealed you in a closed chapter of my life, but it would seem that my thoughts won't leave you. Why did Werner have to appear and remind me of you all over again…?"


	13. Dreizehn

The constant sound of the cicadas gave an almost musical air to the vast, endless field Duran found himself in. He didn't know why he happened to be in this particular field or how he came to be within it's vast confines, but the old man was indeed in the middle of a field. What kind of field is a tricky question, for a variety of plants grew within this sunset garden. Mostly tall grasses gave the clue that he was indeed in actuality on a prairie. The sky was growing a shade of slight pink, indicating the time of day. Duran smiled and looked about. This sight was quite common on Filgaia's endless plains, but yet, this scene had a individual aura about it, making it seem surrealistic. Duran began to walk, a little more bounce in his step and vigor in his stride than he could recall having in his recent years. Every direction had the same horizon, so it really didn't mater what direction Duran decided to take. Nevertheless, he decided he would venture south, walking through the fields with no ultimate goal in mind. He really should have been wondering what in Abrams name he was doing there, but he was content enough to forget his worldly concerns and concentrate on, well, nothing. He was in a state of perfect bliss, above the things that mortals tire themselves with, nirvana. A couple pronghorn antelopes watched him, and in turn he returned their gaze. Their large black eyes blinked lazily and their ever revolving satellite ears twitched, catching the sound of some concern far out in the plains. The Pronghorn had decided they had their time and now it was time to go. With a few quick bounds, they disappeared from Duran's sight. It was a pity to see such beautiful animals go, but every creature has his own aims.

It was then, when the antelope silently vanished into the sunset, Duran's own ears caught the sound. If it were the same sound that sent the antelopes off would never be known, but to Duran it was a sad, mournful noise. The sounds of loneliness. The sounds of mourning, of tears, and of grief. Duran knew this sound quite well, for he had experienced loneliness, mourning, tears, and grief quite well. His wife and children had left him, and left him to be the cold husk of an old man. Duran sighed and tried to look away, but yet his fathering instincts told him to look and see what pitiful creature could ever be miserable in this Eden.

She was a child, perched upon the back of a strange yet ever so captivating Pronghorn. The Pronghorn itself was larger than the average antelope by far with a sleek, glossy coat of fine browns, blacks, and powder whites. Upon it's snout was a black spire that spilt into an enormous "U", spanning a good five or six feet from the far right of the head to the far left. The girl who was perched in such a mourning state was pale, adorn in only a black dress with a red bandanna tried around her neck. Her eyes could not be seen through the sorrowful mist emanating from them, but her hair was long and dark. She appeared to be a young girl, probably eleven or twelve. Duran felt no threat from either creature, only sorrow and grief. A cold wind began to slowly blow through the prairie, lifting the grass seeds into the air upon their tiny white umbrellas.

Duran stepped closer to the girl and her beast, taking his time as to not to upset neither one of them. The girl continued to sob as the antelope watched Duran keenly with the black orbs of its eyes. It's ears were constantly twitching, catching the sounds of the footsteps of the man. Duran was finally able to come close enough to the animal, being only as high as it's breast, and began to pet it's hair so slowly. The animal did nothing in reply but continue swishing its cotton swab like tail and rotate its ears. As beautiful and powerful as this strange animal was, it was the sad girl that Duran needed to talk to. Seeing how the animal wasn't interested or threatened by him, Duran walked over to where the girl was sitting. He had to crane his neck a little to see her, as she sat on the beast's back, but he had renewed strength in this land.

"Hello there, young girl." Duran greeted through a smile.

The girl in the black dress continued to sob, not granting Duran permission to see her face.

Duran raised an eyebrow and began to talk more slowly in a hushed manner. "What's the matter? My, You've got more water leaking from your eyes than the Hudson Dam! C'mon, you can tell old Duran what's the matter."

The girl looked from her palms to the man below her, looking up with caring, fatherly eyes. She sniffed and looked back with her soft red eyes. "Go away."

"Go away?" Duran replied, his voice still small and soothing. "A young maiden such as yourself shouldn't be crying, not with such lovely eyes as those you got there in your little head! Here," Duran reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Use this to wipe away those dreadful tears." He hadn't spoke this way in countless years to a child. It was almost as if… she were the child he neevr had the chance to raise as his own…

The girl accepted the handkerchief and wiper her eyes with it, even going as far to blow her nose. She sniffed once more and looked at Duran through wet eyes. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. Now," Taking a bit of courage, Duran hoisted himself atop the animal, sitting himself next to the girl. "Why don't you tell me why your all alone out here. It's dangerous in the wild, you know? All sorts of beasts and what not."

"There isn't anything else." The girl replied. "Where do you come from?"

Duran raised an eyebrow in question. "You don't seem like a Baskar child to me. I come from civilization, surly you know of it. Your parents must be on holiday. Don't worry, they'll come back for you and you can go back to buildings, rail cars, clocks, and most of all, people."

"There are no other people. I don't have a mum or a dad. There's only me, by myself." The girl sniffed.

Duran patted her back. "That's not true. If you were all alone, where would I come from, eh? Your parents wouldn't just leave you here. They love you, I'm quite sure. What's your name, little girl?"

The girl looked to Duran and wiped her eyes. She opened her mouth, strange sounds came forth. Sounds that Duran couldn't identify. Wait, he could. Telephone sounds. The sounds of a strange contraption he had seen at Welles Island during a Yggdrasalian experiment one time. The sounds of a "modem". The moment she spoke in this "modem" tongue, the world blinked out and Duran woke up…

-

****

The next day… October, 1860

Duran rubbed his eyes as he placed the spectacles upon his face. Sunlight was streaming in through the broad windows of his motel room. Duran rolled his eyes at the thought of it being any other sort of weather besides sun. As Werner would say, 'it's a sign of the times'. Duran instantly grew frustrated at the thought of Werner Maxwell. For some strange reason, the younger Council member was acting the part of a child, trying desperately to persuade he and Malik's position on hiring the famous Dr. Leehalt Alceste. Duran walked into the restroom. The restroom was a white linoleum and porcelain, as all restrooms should be. On the other end was a door, which led to Werner's room. Malik stayed across the hall from the two, having his room all too himself, which was just fine with Duran. After all, they had just bailed him from a clinic for the mentally insane. Duran glanced in the mirror as he began applying water to a scrubbing rag. It was himself, as always, but yet not. He found himself feeling much less of what he normally felt on a morning. He had felt he had lost a part of himself, or realizing that he never had been complete. That strange dream… Duran shook his head as he pulled out his grooming kit from under the sink. It was a small, beaten black box, which contained a comb, small scissors, a razor, and soothing cream. He looked to the bottle. It must have been at least five yeas old, as Duran had grown himself a beard and kept it for that period of time. It was a small, neglected piece of who he used to be, much like his children; the piece of himself that was never formed. He was too busy working too ever really raise them. He would leave when they were asleep and return when they were asleep. Every day, they would be a bit more grown, but missing out on a father. Well, they gained one when Tiffany decided to leave with that man, Duran thought to himself.

"Oh Abram, if only… if only I could change all of that. If I could ever see my children again…" Duran sighed and looked into the mirror. He had never given them anything, but now… now he would. He would give them the future, a Filgaia of tomorrow, green and lush, with tall forests and deep seas. "And in order to do that…" Duran mumbled to himself as he snipped at his white beard with the tiny scissors. "I must acquire the best I can find. And the best in Filgaian theory is Dr. Alceste."

-

Werner, as luck would have it, was out at the moment. His room was unlocked, as Werner was forgetful at such things, and nowhere to be found. His things were still unpacked upon the wooden floorboards, indicating that he had not jumped a train and abandoned the cause all together. Duran sighed with relief. "Shame on me for thinking Werner to be that much of a fool."

"Who's a fool?" Malik asked, brushing his teeth while standing in the hall right behind the investigative Duran.

Duran turned around and frowned. Such un professionalism! "Please Malik, could you at least wait until you're done before talking? You've got suds in your mouth."

"Looks like I'm rabid, doesn't it?" Malik smiled, showing off all the foam from the toothbrush.

"Yes Malik, yes it does." Duran replied.

"So, when are we going to visit Dr. Alceste again?" Malik continued to speak while brushing his teeth.

"I would say soon if I could find Werner, wherever he went. That man can be so infuriating when he wants to be." Duran checked the room once more through the corner of his spectacles.

"You know, the way he acted yesterday wasn't very respecable at all, I have to say! He acted like a total kid." Malik gave his two cents.

Duran raised his eyebrow. "This coming from a man who makes comments about being rabid while brushing his teeth."

"…Hey!" Malik finally caught on.

"But I do agree with you Malik." Duran interrupted before Malik could begin. "It is rather childish he act like this, especially to such a highly esteemed individual like Dr. Alceste."

"The way he acts, you'd think something personal happened between him and Dr. Alceste. Mortal enemies or something, y'know?" Malik was finally done brushing his teeth.

"Well, Dr. Alceste did mention that the two knew each other when their were children…" Duran remembered.

"Well, you've been hanging out with Werner long enough. Hasn't he said something about it?" Malik asked. "Wait, hold on. I'm gonna go spit this out." Malik then walked into Werner's room, heading for the restroom door.

"Wait Malik." Duran called. "Why don't you use your own?"

"This one's closer." Malik shrugged.

Duran sighed a frustrated sigh. You'd never guess he was a nominee for the Council of Seven. It was a moment (including an opera of gurgling and running water) before Malik came back. Duran rolled his eyes as Malik adjusted a suspender strap. "Malik, if your to actually impress any board you must pass through, I'd suggest using a little more common sense."

Malik chuckled. "What are you, my father?"

This seemed to have struck a nerve with Duran. He ashamedly looked to the floor beneath them. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you."

"Hey, it's cool." Malik patted Duran on the back. "Don't worry about it." Malik then actually looked at Duran. He didn't appear to be doing so well. "Hey, you all right Dr.?"

"Yes, I'm fine. …I just had a rather unpleasant dream last night." Duran admitted.

"A nightmare?" Malik asked.

"No, it in itself was a pleasant dream. It just brought back some inner demons of mine that I still have yet to deal with." Duran said.

Malik put a hand to his boyish chin and thought. "Why don't you explain?"

"What is this, an inquiry? I'm all right, you're not a psychologist, and we need to find Werner and deal with this troublesome matter of enlisting Dr. Alceste." Duran demanded.

"Hey, I've gone through enough psychology appointments to be one!" Malik made a half-serious joke. "Werner's probably out getting breakfast or something."

Duran slumped his shoulders. "All right, I give up. Hopefully you're right…"

-

"Well, it's apparent that you're having some kind of father issues." Malik finally stated after Duran's story. Both were sitting on the ends of the bed in Duran's room.

"Let's just keep this to ourselves, O.K?" Duran asked.

"Of course, client patient confidentiality. Gotcha." Malik nodded. "What you need is the chance to be a father. Have you ever tried a dog?"

Duran gave Malik an evil look. "I don't have the time for a dog! I'm too busy with for that kind of thing. A dog of all things!"

"Ah, right there! You're too busy!" Malik pointed out. "Wasn't that the problem from the start."

Duran caught himself and instantly became silenced. "I am too busy…"

"This girl in your dream is your instincts to father! You missed your chance and now it's coming back to haunt you. But there is one interesting thing…" Malik thought.

"And that is?" Duran asked, impatient.

"The antelope in your dream. The really big one with the "U" shaped horn on it's snout. It's a common element prevalent in many troublesome dreams." Malik explained.

"And you'd know this how?" Duran crossed his arms.

"I read everything when I was by myself for a long time. Ask me any trivia question, I dare you!" Malik grinned.

"Getting back to the antelope." Duran stated.

"Oh, right." Malik cleared his throat. "The massive antelope represents the need to redeem ones actions. In Baskar religion, it is known as Oderyuk, the Guardian of Life. According to the ancient Baskar myth, when one sees Oderyuk, it means that something wrong has occurred in your life, and Oderyuk is telling you to go back and change it. An object to represent what has gone wrong in your life usually accompanies it. A bushel of wheat if you've destroyed your life through drinking or a mournful adult if you've destroyed your chances for love. The child in your dream is obviously meant that you need to amend your ways of parenting. Of course, it's all just dream theory 101 stuff."

"Still, it makes sense…" Duran thought. "But I must continue with PROJECT Yggdrassil. Maybe, maybe that is how I can amend my past, by providing a future for my children, wherever they are…"

"Possibly." Malik then dropped, resting on the bed. "Where the hell is breakfast?"

-

The daylight streamed in through Leehalt's windows, illuminating the antique furniture. Leehalt was awake, as the town had been for some time now. It wasn't yet noon, but still morning. Leehalt looked as if he had barley any sleep and had been thinking for a long time. He sat in his chair, staring out the window of his personal car, tapping his khaki clad thigh with a pen. The birds were out side, singing to each other. But how long would they be singing out there? When the end came, there would be no more birds to sing, or anyone to hear them. This small thought ran quickly through Leehalt's mind, as he was more concerned with another item. His youth seemed to trouble him during the night and in these hours of the day, and the thoughts of a young love occupied his mind. Regret, he had deduced, was filling his life, no matter what accomplishments he had made. His happiness, no matter how many great deeds he has and will do in his lifetime, would amount to nothing due to one, small, almost insignificant action played out years ago. He would remain in loneliness and sorrow even if he became the President of the Union of the Federal Republic of Filgaia.

A tapping came from his door. He looked to it, awakening from his trance, and focusing upon it. "Who is it?"

"Eet eez I, Jon." The familiar accent came though the door.

"What is it that you want?" Leehalt asked, a bit of anger coming into his voice.

"Eet haz been several hours now, and yet you steel haven't come from your room, even for breakfast? Wee are wondering… are you O.K, sir?" Jon asked.

Leehalt sighed. He whispered to himself that he would never be O.K, but found that would be most discouraging to his loyal staff. But, an idea appeared in his head. He smiled a bit. "Jon, can you come in here for a moment?"

"But of course, sir." Jon replied. The door opened, and the Governing Representative walked in.

"Please, have a seat." Leehalt offered a chair, one of the same that Werner, Duran, and Malik had been sitting in the night before. Jon did as told, sitting quietly and obediently, waiting for Leehalt to speak. Leehalt smirked. "Jon, in six hundred years, what do you think this territory will look like?"

Jon thought for a moment, toying with the tiny mustache he had. "A fair meetropolees, I'd zink. Of course, zat would only be possible because you started her wondrous growth!"

Leehalt continued to tap his slacks with his pen. "Don't be such a worm, Jon. In reality, this territory will be even more worthless than it is now. Do you know why?"

"I 'ave not a clue, sir." Jon shrugged, a bit confused.

"Because in six hundred years, Filgaia will die, and with her death, everything upon her face shall die, and all will die in a glorious despair." Leehalt replied. "The end of everything will occur in six hundred years. Your children's children's crops will die, your children's children's cattle will die, and your children's children will die. Thus it will be the end of humanity, no matter what party they had chosen to vote for."

Jon swallowed. "Eez zees about what zose meen from ze Council, sir?"

"They asked me, Jon, to help them save the world. Deter Filgaia from her path to destruction, and ultimately preserve the human race. You know why they had decided to ask me these things, Jon?"

"Beecause… you are a famous heero?"

"Because I'm a famous scientist." Leehalt raised a thin eyebrow. "Because, despite my absence from the scientific realm, I am still the leading authority on Filgaia Theory, the theory that the entire PROJECT Yggdrassil is rooted in. If I were to save the world though, it would mean I'd have to retire from the senatorial race. But I can't do that, I've spent too much money and time in this to do that. You've spent too much money and time into this for me to do that, saving the world. This entire campaign team has dedicated their lives for my election, but if I were to leave now, all of their efforts would be wasted. No, I couldn't do that… unless…"

"Unless?" Jon asked.

"Jon, how satisfied are you with being "Governing Representative, or whatever term they call your puppet of an office?" Leehalt smirked.

"Well, I do not like eet as much as I had hoped for eet…" Jon put a finger to his chin in thought.

"You crave real power, Jon." Leehalt leaned forward, staring the thinner man in the eyes. "I can see it in your eyes. You are a commanding officer, born to lead and make decisions, ultimately controlling the public to your own whim! You seek a respected position and seek the respect and worship of every man and woman on Abram's dusty Filgaia! I can see it in your eyes, Jon, I can see your aspirations…"

"Zen what do you suggest I do, sir?" Jon leaned in, building great joy within him.

"It would do me a great favor- no- the world a great favor if you were to run in my place. I could save the world, creating a future for Filgaia, and you could lead the people of the territory into statehood and into the utmost bliss a politician can! You could be a hero, and I, a savior. Our talents would be beneficiary to everyone. You would have my complete support of your campaign, Jon Abondues. So, what do you say?"

"I'll doo eet!" Jon leaped out of his chair, excitement spreading through all his body.

Leehalt smirked. "That's just what I wanted to hear Jon. You've done the world a great deed this day." Leehalt reached over to his desk and flipped through some papers. After a moment, he found the right one and handed it to an all too excited Jon. "This is a legal exchange of services, property, and appointments. Just sign here and the train, the crew, and the entire campaign is yours."

Without a moments hesitation, Jon scribbled his name with a pen on the paper. His smile reached from ear to ear as he handed the paper back. "I can not belieeve zes is reely happening!"

"Oh it is Jon. It is. Now, you are not to breathe a word of this to anyone until I say so, understood?"

Jon nodded with all of his might. Leehalt smiled.

-

"I still can't believe we're doing this! He's not going to say yes." Werner grumbled as he accompanied the two men to the train.

"Your lucky you bought us breakfast, or I'd be all over you right now." Malik stated. "Now try to act like an adult this time, right Duran?"

"Exactly." Duran nodded. "Say, what the devil is going on?"

A large crowd of newspaper reporters and cameraman were thronging the caboose, where Leehalt, Jon, and a few campaign managers stood, answering questions of some sort. Leehalt noticed the oncoming recruiting council and held his hands up for silence. "Doctors!" Leehalt announced in a happily energetic voice. "I've decided to join you on the council of Seven!"

-


End file.
